No. 22 Bobcats take No. 1 Texas to limit in loss

No. 22 Texas State pushed No. 1 Texas to their limit as the Bobcats fell to the Longhorns 6-4 

Despite the loss, Head Coach Ricci Woodard was still proud of the Bobcats for their ability to compete with the number one ranked team in the nation. 

“We knew coming in here that we needed to score runs,” Woodard said. “You like to think four is going to be enough, but the way Texas is playing you have to keep punching. I felt if we kept punching towards the end of the game, we could have given ourselves a chance to win. But that is a good ballclub and I thought we played a really good ballgame.”

Texas State found themselves in a hole early in the bottom of the third inning. 

Three Bobcat fielding errors allowed three runs to score for the Longhorns allowing Texas to take a commanding 3-0 lead. 

Yet despite being in an early hole on the road against the No. 1 team in the nation, Texas State failed to flinch. 

Shortstop Hannah Earls reached base on a Longhorn fielding error followed by Piper Randolph single putting runners on first and second. 

A fielder’s choice moved the runners to second and third before right fielder Anna Jones scored the first run of the day on an infield RBI single. 

After Jones took second, designated player Karmyn Bass cleared the bases with a two-run RBI double to tie the game at 3-3. 

Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Bobcats struck again in the fifth. 

With Bass on first following a four-pitch walk, first baseman J.J. Smith, a transfer from Texas, connected with a RBI single into right field giving the Bobcats their first lead of the game at 5-4. 

Unfortunately for the Bobcats, it was the last time they held the lead. 

The Longhorns loaded the bases with no outs before a fielder’s choice tied the game at 4-4. 

A passed ball on the next at-bat scored another run for Texas to take the lead before an RBI single by Longhorn center fielder Kayden Henry extended the lead to 6-4.

The Bobcats will have no time to dwell on the loss. Texas State will host Louisiana in what has been referred to as one of the most anticipated conference series of the year.

“We have to carry ourselves like we can hang with the No. 1 team in the country,” Woodard said. “We have to make sure that we are defending our home turf and we are good enough to play with anybody in the country. We have to set the tone.”

First pitch for Texas State and Louisiana is set for Friday 6 p.m. at Bobcat Softball Stadium.