TXST Softball Splits With Troy Saturday Afternoon

by, Jen Lawson, TXST Assistant Sports Information Director

TROY, Ala. – The Texas State softball team picked up the split Saturday afternoon against Troy on the road. The Bobcats won game one by a score of 2-1 before dropping game two by a 3-2 margin. The split moves Texas State to 26-16 overall and 5-9 in Sun Belt Conference play.

The Bobcats scattered eight hits in game one while scoring two runs to come away with the victory. Texas State took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the second before the Trojans tied it up in the third. A triple by Taylor Webb combined with a single by Corrina Liscano in the sixth led to the game-winning run for Texas State.

Troy took an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings of game two. Two runs for the Bobcats in the top of the fourth cut the Trojan lead down to one, but that would prove to be the last time a runner crossed the plate for Texas State. The Bobcats had a chance in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded, but a strikeout for Troy ended the game.

Texas State will look to take the series against the Trojans tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT at the Troy Softball Complex.
 

WHO STOOD OUT

Randi Rupp / P / Sophomore / Mont Belvieu, Texas

Rupp threw 6.1 innings for Texas State for the day. In game one, Rupp earned her 18^th victory of the season after putting in five innings of work with 12 strikeouts. She allowed just one hit all day while striking out 15 in her 6.1 innings pitched. Game one marked the eighth time this season she had struck out at least 10 batters. Rupp now has 225 strikeouts this season.

Kimberlin Naivar / LF / Junior / Mont Belvieu, Texas

Naivar led the Bobcats offensively as she finished the day going 4-for-8 with three hits in game one. Naivar was one of two Bobcats to record a hit in both games. It was the first time this season that Naivar had recorded three hits in a game and it was the fifth time this season she had at least two hits in a game.

Jaelyn Young / C / Junior / Murrieta, Calif.

Young went 2-for-4 with a double, a single, and two walks for Texas State. Young’s double in the fourth inning of game two scored the two Bobcat runs. She has also successfully reached base in the last five straight games, which matches her season-high.

Taylor Webb / RF / Sophomore / Richmond, Texas

Webb finished the day going 3-for-7 and was one of two Bobcats to have a hit in both games. Webb recorded her first career triple in game one which led to her scoring the game-winning run. She, like Young, has reached base successfully in the last five straight games.

Quincy Charleston / P / Junior / Carthage, Mo.

Charleston pitched a total of 5.1 innings for Texas State with no earned runs allowed. In game one, Charleston earned her second save of the season after pitching two scoreless innings when Texas State had the 2-1 lead.
 

SCORING RECAP

Game 1

• Top 2^nd – Corrina Liscano led the inning off with a single through the right side. After Jaelyn Young walked to put runners on first and second, Sara Rupp laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Kendall Wiley, with one out, hit a sacrifice fly to right field to put the Bobcats up 1-0. (1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
• Bottom 3^rd – A double to left center with one out was the first Troy hit of the game. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third and a pass ball brought in the game-tying run. (1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on base)
• Top 6^th – With two outs after a double play by the Troy defense, Taylor Webb hit a triple to right center. Liscano then drove Webb in for the go-ahead run. (1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)

Game 2

• Bottom 1^st – Kate Benton led the game off with a single to centerfield. After stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt, Benton scored on a single by Hannah Day to right center. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
• Bottom 2^nd – With a runner on first and one out, Becca Hartley doubled to left center to bring in the first run of the inning. On the next at bat, Quincy Charleston registered the strikeout, but a wild pitch followed by Jaelyn Young throwing to third to try and catch the base runner stealing resulted in the batter reaching first. The second run of the inning scored when the runner on third advanced home on the throw down to second. (2 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
• Top 4^th – Texas State registered a hit by Taylor Webb and walks by Ariel Ortiz and Kendall Wiley to load the bases for Jaelyn Young with two outs. Young proceeded to knock a two-run single to left center to make it 3-2. (2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base)

NOTES

• Kendall Wiley recorded her 100^th career RBI in game one. Wiley hit a sacrifice fly to put Texas State up 1-0.
• Randi Rupp tallied 12 strikeouts in game one while earning her 18^th victory of the season. It was the eighth time this season Rupp had registered at least 10 strikeouts and much like the Houston Baptist game, Rupp’s first seven outs were all strikeouts.
• Kimberlin Naivar recorded three hits for the first time this season and second time in her career. She has now had five multi-hit games this season.
• Taylor Webb’s triple in game one was her first career triple. Texas State now has seven triples this season.
• Jaelyn Young’s double in the second game was her third double in the last four games. She now has four total this season.

NEXT UP

Texas State and Troy will compete in a single game Sunday afternoon starting at 12 p.m. Live stats and live video will be available atwww.txstatebobcats.com.