Season openers are usually filled with optimism, especially when you’re the reigning conference champions. However, an unfamiliar-looking roster paired with playing the No. 13 team in the nation usually isn’t a recipe for success.

Bri Ellis, Kailey Wyckoff and Ella McDowell each clobbered a solo home run to give the No. 13 Arkansas Razorbacks a 3-1 win against the Bobcats in the season-opener on Thursday at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

“I just told [my team], you just played a really good team that probably should have been in the College World Series last year, so I can’t be more proud of all these new players I had on the field with the way they battled,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said.

Ellis’ home run came in the second inning, while Wyckoff and McDowell homered in the sixth. Robyn Herron earned the victory in the circle, allowing zero earned runs with five strikeouts in six innings.

Despite taking the loss, sophomore Maddy Azua threw a solid game, only allowing the three solo homers while striking out three in six innings.

“We knew that [Arkansas] was going to be a really good offense, and we were going to have to keep the ball in the yard, so if you make mistakes, they are going to capitalize on it,” Woodard said. “Other than those couple of pitches, I thought [Azua] threw a really good ballgame.”

Texas State’s offense appeared lifeless most of the night until a seventh-inning rally brought All-Conference outfielder Ciara Trahan to the plate as the winning run with two outs. However, a controversial strike-three-looking call on Trahan ended the game, much to the displease of Woodard, who yelled at the umpire and angrily threw a bat on the ground.

Next, the Bobcats will play their second game of the Texas State Tournament against the San Diego Toreros at 5:45 p.m. on Friday at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.