TXST Randi Rupp Earns 2nd Straight SBC Pitcher of the Week Nod

by, Jen Lawson, TXST Assistant Sports Information Director

SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the second consecutive week, sophomore pitcher Randi Rupp has been named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week. Rupp has now been named the Pitcher of the Week three times this season and five times in her Texas State career.

Rupp played a crucial part in Texas State’s Sun Belt Conference sweep over South Alabama this past weekend. In 24.2 innings pitched this week, including all 14 innings in Saturday’s doubleheader, Rupp struck out 29 batters while allowing just one earned run. She earned all three wins against South Alabama.

In game one on Saturday, Rupp went head-to-head with the then-conference leader in strikeouts and won the battle 12 to 10. Against the second-ranked hitting team in the Sun Belt Conference coming into the weekend, Rupp held South Alabama to just a .113 batting average with only seven hits allowed in 20.0 innings pitched.

After pitching the complete game in game one, Rupp started game two on Saturday and had a no-hitter going through the first six and a third. She allowed just one hit the entire game with eight strikeouts.

On Sunday against the Jaguars, Rupp came in relief in the second inning with the bases loaded and no outs and she proceeded to strikeout the next three batters to get out of the jam with no runs coming in to score. She finished the game with six innings pitched, seven strikeouts and just one hit allowed. Also in game one of the series against the Jaguars, Rupp had a Jaguar runner on third base twice with two outs and got out of each inning with a strikeout. With 12 strikeouts in game one, Rupp now has nine double-digit strikeout games this season.

For the week, Rupp finished with a 0.28 ERA with the only earned run coming in game one against South Alabama. The earned run on Saturday was the first earned run given up by Rupp since Houston Baptist on April 6 (one earned run in eight games). Rupp finished the week with a 3-1 overall record and improved her season record to 22-9. She lowered her ERA to a Sun Belt Conference-low 1.59. She now leads the conference in strikeouts with 263.

The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday afternoon for their annual Pink Game. Texas A&M will be welcomed to the Bobcat Softball Stadium and first pitch is slated for 6 p.m. Live stats, live audio, and live video will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com.