Texas State softball (24-3 overall, 8-0 Sun Belt) defeated the Coastal Carolina April 1-2 University Chanticleers (8-16 overall, 1-8 Sun Belt) in a 3-0 series sweep.
The series win increased the Bobcats’ win streak to 17 while putting the Chants on a three-game losing skid.
In the first game, the Bobcats got on the scoreboard 3-0 off a three-run home run by senior outfielder Arieann Bell in the bottom of the second.
Coastal scored off an RBI single by junior infielder Abbey Montoya to cut the deficit to two. Yet, that did not last long as Texas State senior infielder Tara Oltmann stepped up to the plate with two runners on base and hit a homer out to left field. The Bobcats would lead 6-1.
A solo-homer by the Chants at the top of the fourth brought the score to 6-2. The Bobcats held that lead well into the late innings, but Coastal went on the attack at the top of the sixth.
RBI singles by junior outfielder/infielder Sydney Guess and senior outfielder Stavi Augur cut the lead down to two. A run by senior infielder Ally Clegg cut the margin down to one.
Despite the comeback attempt, Texas State held on to win 6-5.
While game one was a nailbiter, game two was a rout as the Chants did not score until the sixth inning.
For the Bobcats, their first two scores were off wild pitches in the first and second innings to give them a 2-0 lead.
At the bottom of the fourth, Texas State junior catcher Cat Crenek hit a solo homer followed by a pair of unearned runs from redshirt freshman infielder Sydney Belvin and freshman outfielder Piper Randolph to go up 5-0.
Coastal scored off an RBI double at the top of the sixth, but it was all for nothing as Texas State grabbed the 5-1 win.
The final contest of the series was another nailbiter as both teams were tied for multiple innings before the Bobcats scored on a walk-off home run.
Texas State was first to score as freshman utility Hannah Earls scored an unearned run to go up 1-0 via a fielding error. The Chants tied it at the top of the third off an RBI single from Guess.
In the fourth, a bunt by freshman infielder Riley Zana allowed Augur to run in and give Coastal a 2-1 lead. An RBI double by Earls tied the score again at 2-2.
In the fifth inning, both teams experienced situations where there were at least two runners on base, yet neither could capitalize on either opportunity.
The Chants could not get anything going in the sixth and seventh innings as three runners went up and three came down in each period.
At the bottom of the seventh, Texas State senior infielder Hailey MacKay stepped up to the plate. With the score tied, one out and a 2-1 count, she hit a deep shot out to left field to give Texas State a 3-2 walk-off victory.
“I knew I’d been seeing the ball really well,” MacKay says. “It was just a matter of time until I got a hold of one. [I] just tried to keep it as simple as possible in that moment [and] put a good swing on a good pitch.”
Head Coach Ricci Woodard says MacKay was due for a big moment for a while.
“I told her, ‘If you’re gonna go, go. Don’t get cheated,’ and she didn’t,” Woodard says.
The Bobcats will now look to match the university’s winning streak record of 18 as they will host the Texas A&M University Aggies (25-8 overall, 4-5 SEC) on April 6.
Junior catcher/utility Haley Lee leads the Aggies in batting average (.435), home runs (14), RBI (32) and hits (37). Junior pitcher/outfielder Makinzy Herzog has a team-high 36 runs and nine doubles along with a .356 batting average, 25 RBI, 36 hits and eight home runs.
In the circle, Herzog has a team-best 9-2 record, a 1.59 earned run average and 77 strikeouts.
For the Bobcats, sophomore infielder Sara Vanderford leads the team batting average (.474), home runs (seven), runs (24), doubles (12) and hits (36). Her batting average is also ranked No. 28 in the nation.
Oltmann has a team-high 28 RBI and seven home runs along with a .411 batting average, 19 runs and 21 hits.
Freshman pitcher Jessica Mullins has a team-high 11-2 record and 96 strikeouts along with a 1.68 earned run average. Senior pitcher Meagan King sports a 7-1 record with 21 strikeouts and a team-best 1.44 earned run average.
The matchup is slated for 6 p.m. on April 6 at Bobcat Softball Stadium. ESPN+ will broadcast the game.