Texas State softball (14-5) will hit the road this weekend to compete in the Jeannine McHaney Classic in Lubbock, Texas.
The Bobcats will open the tournament on Friday with a doubleheader against the University of Texas at El Paso (10-4) and New Mexico State University (9-5). They will close out the tournament with a doubleheader against the same teams on Saturday.
The Bobcats are coming off a 1-0 loss against No. 2 Texas (13-1) on Wednesday and a perfect 6-0 sweep in the Sun Devil Classic this past weekend.
Texas State’s hot start is partially due to senior pitcher Jessica Mullins continuing her dominant NCAA career, as she is 7-2 with a 0.99 ERA in 54.2 innings thus far in 2024.
Junior outfielder Ciara Trahan has stood out offensively for the Bobcats this year, hitting .450 with a .550 slugging percentage. Additionally, graduate student infielder Sara Vanderford is performing on brand, posting a .974 OPS and leading the team in home runs with three.
The Bobcats established themselves as a team to be reckoned with this season, as they currently hold the third-best record in the Sun Belt Conference.
As good as Texas State has been in 2024, this weekend will present a quality challenge. Five of the University of Texas at El Paso hitters have an OPS over 1.000 thus far this season, and freshman southpaw pitcher Faith Aragon leads the team’s pitching staff with a 2.33 ERA in 39 innings.
Another name to look out for this weekend is New Mexico State freshman pitcher/infielder Desirae Spearman. The two-way star has an ERA of 0.30 and 25 strikeouts in 23 innings, paired with a .522 batting average and six home runs in 23 at-bats.
Opening pitch between Texas State and the University of Texas at El Paso is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 1, at Rocky Johnson Field in Lubbock, Texas. The Bobcats will face off against New Mexico State on the same field at 7 p.m. the same day.
To follow Texas State’s status in the Jeannine McHaney Classic, visit https://txst.com/sports/softball.
