Two completely different types of games unfolded as Texas State softball split its doubleheader on Saturday at Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas, winning against George Washington (7-7) and losing to No. 13 Texas Tech (18-5).
“We’ve got to be ready to play when the lights go on, and I think that’s the thing that we’re still learning how to do,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said.
Game 1 – George Washington
Sydney Harvey went a perfect three for three at the plate, scoring two runs with a double and an RBI, while Maddy Azua struck out 11 batters in five innings to march Texas State past George Washington 6-1. Azua’s record now improves to 6-2 on the young season.
“I think [Harvey] is finally starting to find something that’s going to work for her day in and day out,” said Woodard. “She’s just competing, that’s the big thing, she’s just competing.”
The Revolutionaries’ self-inflicted wounds in the bottom of the second began when Erin Peterson was hit by a pitch and advanced to second after a wild pitch, allowing Peterson to score on a Harvey single. Kate Bubela and Keely Williams also notched RBI singles in the inning.
During the fourth inning, the Bobcats benefited from some heads-up baserunning. Harvey scored on another wild pitch by the Revolutionaries, setting up the sacrifice fly by Aiyana Coleman to score Mayson Garrett.
Azua put together another strong pitching performance. She gave up one run in five innings on only three hits and struck out 11 of the 19 batters she faced. Analisa Soliz pitched the final two innings in relief. Soliz allowed three hits and no runs.
“When [Azua] attacks the zone and works early in the count, she usually gets batters out and I thought today she did a better job of that.”
The lone run for George Washington came in the fourth inning when Ashley Corpuz hit a home run over the center field wall. Corpuz was the only player with multiple hits for the Revolutionaries.
Cece Smith, the Revolutionaries’ starting pitcher, left the game in the second inning after Bubela hit a line drive back into her arm. Smith received the loss, allowing three runs and three hits in 1 ⅔ innings.
Game 2 – Texas Tech
Four errors committed by the Bobcats combined with Chloe Riassetto’s complete game shutout helped No. 13 Texas Tech coast to a 6-0 win over Texas State on Saturday afternoon.
Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco and Riassetto, both former Ragin’ Cajuns, saw themselves defeat a Texas State team they have plenty of history with.
“We’re young and you can tell,” said Woodard. “Giving up six in the first two innings shows because then after that we competed really well.”
It was only in the first and second inning that the Red Raiders did damage on offense, plating four in the first, three of those before the Bobcats could record an out, and the other two in the second.
One-third of the Red Raiders’ hits came off the bat of cleanup hitter Alexa Langeliers, another former Ragin’ Cajun turned Red Raider. She tallied three hits, a team-leading two RBIs and scored two runs.
Emma Strood lasted the entirety of the contest despite the onslaught that was the first two innings. After the second inning, Strood settled in and only allowed three hits through the final five innings. She finished with five earned runs given up, one walk and three strikeouts.
Offensively for the Bobcats, they only combined for one strikeout, but the Red Raiders played stellar defense all game. Multiple hits were taken away from the Bobcats off hard-hit line drives right into the defense.
“We put a lot of balls in play hard, and things just didn’t go our way,” Woodard said. “I didn’t think we did a bad job at competing at the plate at all.”
Texas State’s record drops to 12-5. In four tournament games over the weekend, the Bobcats were 2-2 and will look to walk out of the Texas A&M Invitational with a winning record when they play Idaho State (13-3) at 9 a.m. on Sunday at Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas.
