Feb. 23, 2007

Marist Box Score | Stanford Box Score

MIAMI, Fla. - Texas State softball (5-7) earned a split during its first day of action at the adidas-Golden Panther Invitational hosted by Florida International on Thursday, defeating Marist 4-2 before getting run-ruled by No. 8 Stanford 10-0.

Bobcat bats swung red hot against the Red Foxes (1-6), but quickly cooled against the Cardinal (11-2), who marked the fourth top 10 opponent the `Cats have faced this year.

Jetta Weinheimer went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in game one while Ashton Peters had two hits and scored twice to lead an offense that banged out 11 hits against Marist. Four different Bobcats drove in runs and eight players reached base.

Ragan Blake (4-3) struck out 12 while walking none and allowed two runs on six hits. Both runs came home on a home run by Jessica Green that gave Marist a 2-1 lead in the third, but Texas State scored in each of the next three innings to earn the win.

The `Cats failed to find the same level of success against Stanford, as the Cardinal scored six runs off Bobcat starter Sarah Lancour (1-4) to chase her after only 1.2 innings. Lancour finished with six runs, three earned, on five hits and three walks.

Freshman Elizabeth Dennis came on in relief and got out of the second inning, but gave up four runs in the third. It was the second appearance for Dennis against a top 10 team, as she also came on in relief of Lancour in a 7-1 loss to No. 5 LSU.

Texas State managed three hits in the game, but Missy Penna (8-1) did not allow a runner past second in just over three innings of work. Leah Boatright and Amy Krueger recorded two of the Bobcats' hits, giving them a hit in both games on the day and extending their hitting streaks to three games.

Michelle Smith led the Stanford offensive attack, finishing 3-for-3 with a homer and five RBIs.

The Bobcats return to action with another two games on Friday. Texas State will play Syracuse at 12:00 p.m. CST and host FIU at 6:00 p.m. CST. Both teams are first-time opponents for the Bobcats.

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