The offense was the key for Texas State softball (8-4) as they defeated Texas Tech University (7-3) 8-1 on Sunday afternoon on the fourth and final day of the TXST Tournament at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
Sunday was the second time the two teams met during the tournament. The Red Raiders won the first game 4-1 on Saturday.
The scoring began early with Texas State graduate student infielder Sara Vanderford launching her second round-tripper of the young season. However, the Red Raiders matched this with a solo homerun from graduate student infielder Alanna Barraza in the second inning. The homerun was Barraza’s first of the season and came against Texas State senior pitcher Jessica Mullins.
Mullins threw a complete game, allowing one run on two hits and striking out six Red Raider batters.
“This game was huge,” Mullins said. “It shows what type of team we can be, and we just need to show up like that every game day.”
Texas State junior outfielder Ciara Trahan continued her scorching start to the season with three hits and four RBI to raise her season batting average to .543. She recorded a three RBI single in the fourth inning that put the Bobcats in run-rule distance. Senior utility J.J. Smith capped off the Bobcats scoring with an RBI single of her own in the fifth inning.
“[This win] was big,” Trahan said. “Just from going to last weekend into this weekend we didn’t have the outcomes we wanted, but today we came together as a team and figured out what we were doing and how to change it. That showed today.”
Next, the Bobcats will go on the road for the first time this season as they travel to Arizona to compete in the Sun Devil Classic next weekend.
Texas State will open with a matchup against tournament host Arizona State University (5-4). The Sun Devils are coming off a 4-3 loss to Cal State Fullerton University in the Littlewood Classic.
The first pitch between Texas State and Arizona State is scheduled to be thrown at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The game will be available to watch on ASU Live Stream.
