For one senior catcher, the upcoming softball season also means one last time on the Bobcat field.
Sara Rupp played volleyball as a high school freshman but chose to pursue softball instead. Making that switch led her to a few collegiate choices during her high school career.
“Volleyball season had just ended that year,” Rupp said. “When softball came around, I just felt that it could take me to a higher level.”
During her signing day, Rupp chose to follow the footsteps of a close friend and become a Bobcat.
“My sister and I knew a friend that played here before,” Rupp said. “It was awesome getting to see them play and cheer them on. I always thought it was a great program and a nice place to live …”
The softball team has improved to a better record each season and Rupp has been a huge part of that success. She has been the eyes of the field and knows that communication is the biggest factor.
“It is the major part for our success,” Rupp said. “Each season we grow and get better at it. (Me) being the catcher and my sister being the pitcher, it starts with us. We’ve had problems in the past and our team gets worried, but we depend on each other.”
Rupp had big plans to turn the program around when she enrolled into Texas State as a freshman in 2014.
“It was rough,” Rupp said. “We didn’t have a winning season before, but the seniors that were here showed us the ropes and how to change the program.”
Rupp started 47 of 48 games and recorded 20 RBIs in her first season. She threw out 13 baserunners behind the plate while hitting 19 balls, three doubles and one triple. She was ranked second in the freshmen class and fifth on the team with five home runs.
Rupp increased her batting average and hit some career highs the following season. She was selected for the 2017 SBC All-Tournament Team and helped lead the Bobcats in major victories last season.
Rupp has grasped the education behind the sport and plans to use it to her advantage this upcoming season. The three-year veteran has found success on the field in the past and knows how to help the team succeed.
“We just need to play one game at a time,” Rupp said. “We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves or things will go south. Of course a chance to make it to the Regional conference would be great, even winning it would be awesome.”
Rupp realized how important the sport is to her and how much it helped prepare for life outside of the diamond after returning from surgery on her shoulder.
“I was devastated,” Rupp said. “This injury slowed me down and (had) me realizing what more there was outside of playing softball. It’s my last season, and I want to end it well. I am going to go all out.”