March 25, 2006

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - Texas State moved a game in front of Texas-Arlington for first place in the Southland Conference standings on Saturday afternoon, downing McNeese State 3-0 and 9-1 at Bobcat Field in San Marcos.

Texas State used outstanding pitching and balanced hitting to improve to 8-0 at home and 7-1 in the Southland Conference.

In game one of the afternoon, Texas State (20-11, 7-1) threatened early in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out. Jessica Denham, the McNeese State senior pitcher from Alvin, Texas, would retire the side on a strikeout and a groundout to end the Bobcat rally.

The game remained scoreless through the first four innings, until Texas State drew first blood off Katie Ann Trahan's two-run home run over the left field fence, giving the `Cats a 2-0 edge.

In the top of the sixth with one away in the inning, the game paused for a 10 minute delay when freshman Callie Schiro fouled a pitch off the top of her nose, forcing the player to the ground. The Cowgirls were forced to bring in a pinch hitter to replace the injured Schiro.

When play resumed, the Bobcats retired the final two batters on a strikeout and a pop up to catcher Karen Taylor.

Texas State stretched the lead to 3-0 in the bottom half of the sixth. Tamara Keller's beautiful bunt single found her safe at first and a stolen base moved her to second. Amy Hromadka followed with an infield single that put runners on first and second.

A batter later, Keller and Hromadka got caught in separate rundowns, but after the ball was tossed around for a little while, Keller scored all the way from second and Hromadka advanced safely to second.

Katie Ann Trahan carried a perfect game into the top of the seventh until leadoff hitter Christina Allen broke up the perfect game on a dribbler less than a foot from home plate. Trahan rebounded to pick up two of her eight strikeouts on the final two batters to record her fifth shutout and 12th win of the season.

Six different Bobcats recorded a hit in the opening game of the series en route to their ninth win in the last 10 games.

In game two of the doubleheader, McNeese State (10-16, 2-6) took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Lindsay Davis singled to score Kristi Hanan from second base.

Texas State responded in the bottom of the third, sending its entire lineup to the plate and scoring five runs off three hits and two Cowgirl errors. Two of the Bobcat runs in the inning came off arrant throws towards home plate from the left side of the infield.

The `Cats would tack on two more runs in the fourth and two in the sixth, off Kristin Gunter's game-ending two-run home run to left center field, to run-rule McNeese State 9-1 in game two of the doubleheader.

Sarah Lancour picked up her eighth win of the season, pitching six strong innings and only allowing one run while scattering three hits.

Texas State and McNeese State will conclude their three-game series on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.