Allowing two hits in one start is considered to be a very good outing by a starting pitcher. Allowing two hits total in two games is one of the best performances a pitching staff can have in any way, shape or form.
That’s exactly what the Texas State softball (14-6) pitching staff did on Friday versus Missouri State (1-17). The trio of Maddy Azua, Analisa Soliz and Emma Strood held the Bears offense to two hits and no runs in their two games en route to wins by the score of 3-0 and 9-0 Friday at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
“To be successful, we’ve got to do two things,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said. “Number one, are we going to keep the ball in the yard? And number two, are we going to do a good job offensively? And tonight, I thought we did a decent job on both of those things.”
Game 1
The Bobcats began their doubleheader against Missouri State with a 3-0 win on the backs of Azua and Soliz’s combined effort in the circle. Azua tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while punching out seven.
Soliz closed the game out, throwing the seventh inning and K’ing two of the three batters she faced on her way to picking up the save.
The Bobcat offense didn’t do much in the game, but it didn’t have to, thanks to their pitchers’ efforts in the circle. Texas State only scored in one of the seven innings of play, a three-spot in the fourth. Extra base hits from Keely Williams, Ciara Trahan and Kate Bubela, along with a Missouri State error, allowed three runs to cross the plate in the home half of the fourth.
Game 2
Game two was another showcase of pitching by the Bobcats, this time specifically by Emma Strood. Strood tossed a complete game shutout, her final line reading 7.0 innings, one hit and four k’s, making it back-to-back games that the Bobcats tossed a one-hit shutout of Missouri State.
Unlike game one, the offense came to life in game two, scoring nine runs on 10 hits. Although the run scoring was contained to only two innings, it was more than enough, as the Bobcats scored four in the second and five in the third.
Erin Peterson started the scoring for Texas State in game two with an RBI single. Williams then added an RBI single of her own. Aiyana Coleman capped off the inning with a two-RBI double to give the Bobcats the 4-0 advantage.
Texas State kept the momentum rolling in the third inning. Peterson came through with her second RBI single of the day to increase the lead to 5-0. A couple of batters later, Coleman stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and broke the game wide open by hitting a towering ball over the left field wall for a grand slam, giving the Bobcats a 9-0 lead.
Strood closed out the final four innings and shut the door on Missouri State’s day, giving the Bobcats the clean 2-0 sweep of the doubleheader.
Texas State will return to action on Saturday for the final game of the series versus Missouri State. First pitch of the series finale is set for 1 p.m. at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
