The Texas State softball team (17-6) stayed hot over the weekend in Lubbock, going 3-1 in the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic. The Bobcats played four games over two days against two opponents: The University of Texas at El Paso (13-5) and New Mexico State University (10-8).
The Bobcats opened the weekend on a bit of a sour note, getting run-ruled by the Miners in five innings. They had no answer for UTEP’s graduate starting pitcher Taja Felder as she held the offense to only three hits in the afternoon.
The Bobcats faced UTEP once again in game three of the tournament. Twice before this, the Bobcats dropped game one against an opponent they met again later in a tournament. Both times, they avenged their losses with second-meeting wins.
The trend continued as the score did a full 360, with the Bobcats defeating the Miners 8-0. The star of the game was senior pitcher Jessica Mullins. Mullins threw a perfect game, going 21 up, 21 down; the first seven-inning perfect game by a Bobcat since 2008.
Games two and four of the weekend were against the New Mexico State Aggies. The Bobcats went 2-0 v.s. the Aggies, ending the tournament on a high note by securing another winning weekend.
Mullins gave another solid performance in the circle in game one against the Aggies, throwing a complete game shutout while only giving up three hits. The scoring was highlighted by a pair of homers from senior and sophomore utilities Anna Jones and Katarina Zarate.
In the Bobcats’ final game they run-ruled the Aggies for the second time. A pair of home runs from graduate student infielder Sara Vanderford and sophomore catcher Karmyn Bass highlighted the scoring in the final game of the weekend.
The long-tenured duo of Mullins and Vanderford were two major catalysts on the weekend. Vanderford finished with a .555 batting average which led the team. Mullins threw 13.0 innings without surrendering an earned run, lowering her season ERA to 0.82.
The Bobcats are 10-2 in their last 12 games and look to continue playing good ball when a tough Pennsylvania State University team (13-1) comes to Bobcat Softball Stadium this coming weekend.
