SAN MARCOS, Texas – Randi Rupp struck out nine batters and had a stellar defense behind her as the Mont Belvieu, Texas native threw the first perfect game of her career and first Texas State perfect game since 2008 as the Bobcats defeated Houston Baptist by a score of 12-0 Wednesday evening.
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Rupp sent all 15 batters she faced back to the dugout as her perfect game consisted of nine strikeouts, five fly outs and one ground out. The closest that the Huskies would come to breaking up the game came in the top of the fourth with one out as Victoria Granchelli hit a ball out to shallow left field. Bobcat left fielder
Lexi Fryar made the play, a diving one, to get Granchelli out and to keep Rupp's perfect game intact.
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Along with Rupp's strong showing in the circle, the Bobcat offense had a day themselves. Four Bobcats recorded multi-hit games led by
Kendall Wiley and
Kelli Baker with three apiece. Baker finished with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate with a triple, double, and a single. Wiley finished the day going 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. The Bobcats finished with 14 total hits and eight Bobcats contributed to that total. Every Bobcat who stepped up to the plate made it on base in some form or fashion.
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Texas State jumped out of the gates early against the Huskies, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Baker led the charge in the first at bat for the 'Cats with a triple to left centerfield. She quickly crossed home in the next at bat as
Ariel Ortiz grounded out to the second baseman.
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With two outs,
Kortney Koroll, Wiley, and
Taylor Webb recorded consecutive hits to score the next two runs for the Bobcats. Koroll's and Wiley's hits were both singles to put runners on first and second for Webb. Webb proceeded to hit a ball down the right field line for a double to score her runners on the bases. Webb now has five RBI in the last four games on four hits.
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After a scoreless second passed, the Bobcats sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Texas State put a nine spot up in the third with six hits and three runners left on the bases. The Bobcats scored three runs before the first out and continued to play small ball as the inning pursued.
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With the win, the Bobcats improve to 25-19 overall and Rupp moves to 17-12 on the year. Rupp has now struck out a conference-high 236 batters this season. Rupp's perfect game is the first gem thrown by a Sun Belt Conference team this season. South Alabama alumna Hannah Campbell owns the last one thrown on March 20, 2014.
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Texas State will now hit the road to Mobile, Ala. for a three-game series against No. 22 South Alabama this weekend. The Bobcats and the Jaguars will play in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday before a single game on Sunday at 12 p.m. Live stats and live video will be available at
www.txstatebobcats.com.
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