SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State softball team earned its first conference victory of the season in game two of the Sunday doubleheader against Georgia Southern. The Eagles snagged game one by a score of 5-4 before the Bobcats came back to win game two by a 2-0 margin.
 
Randi Rupp earned her 12^th victory of the season in the complete game shutout in game two. She struck out nine while not allowing a walk. The Bobcats improve to 18-7 with the victory Sunday and they are 1-2 in Sun Belt Conference play.
 
Game One
Georgia Southern, much like game one Saturday afternoon, took an early 2-0 lead over Texas State after the first inning. The Eagles used a pair of hits and a walk to load the bases for AJ Hamilton who singled to left field and scored two.
 
A double to left field in the first by Bianca Prado set the Bobcats up with a runner in scoring position. She made it as far as third before the Eagles retired Corrina Liscano on a bullet line drive to the shortstop for the third out of the inning.
 
The Bobcats had a chance in the second to get momentum in their favor. Back-to-back drawn walks by Kendall Wiley and Taylor Webb to start the inning followed by a sacrifice bunt by Kimberlin Naivar put runners on the corners with one out. A pair of strikeouts by the Georgia Southern, however, got the Eagles out of a jam.
 
Georgia Southern added two more in the fourth. Three straight singles loaded the bases for Lydia Witkowski who reached on a fielder's choice and scored Rowan McGuire. A single to back up the fielder's choice play scored the second run of the inning and the Eagles took a 4-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Texas State capitalized on pitching miscues by Georgia Southern. With one out, four straight Bobcats walked to score the first run of the day. Then with two outs and the bases loaded, Kimberlin Naivar drew the fifth walk of the inning to cut the Georgia Southern lead down to two, 4-2.
 
After Georgia Southern added one more in the top of the sixth, Texas State scored one of its own. With runners on first and second and one out, Ariel Ortiz hit a ball to right field and Kayleigh Norte tagged up. A throwing error by the right fielder resulted in the throw getting past the third baseman and Norte went on to score.
 
A diving catch in right center field to end the sixth by the Georgia Southern right fielder halted the 'Cats rally.
 
A triple to lead off the seventh by Webb followed up by a sacrifice fly by Naivar scored the fourth Bobcat run of the day. That would be as far as the 'Cats rally would go as the Eagles retired the next two Bobcats at the plate.
 
Webb led the 'Cats offensively as she finished the game going 2-for-3. Naivar led the team with two RBIs and Liscano and Wiley each drew two walks. Paige Williams was handed her second loss of the season after putting in 3.2 innings of work for Texas State.
 
Game Two
Texas State took its first lead of the series in the first inning of game two. With two outs and Baker on second, Liscano singled through the left side and Baker came around to score. A single by Webb followed up by a drawn walk by Wiley loaded the bases with two outs. Georgia Southern once again got out of the jam by forcing a fly out to right.
 
The Bobcats had a chance to score in the bottom of the third as the Georgia Southern pitching staff walked a pair and put Wiley on base by hitting her. A fielder's choice play to get the lead runner at home was the second out of the inning and a strike out looking ended the inning.
 
In the top of the sixth with two outs, Rupp's perfect game was broken up on a bloop single in left field that landed just out of reach. A running catch back toward the fence by Bianca Prado in centerfield for out number three saved the potential scoring run from crossing home.
 
Texas State added one more in the sixth off the bat of Ortiz. With Norte standing on third after drawing a walk, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, and advancing to third on a wild pitch, Ortiz hit a double to right center to give Texas State a 2-0 lead.
 
Georgia Southern threatened to score in the top of the seventh, but a clutch strikeout with runners on second and third by Rupp to end the game put a stop to the Eagle rally.
 
Ortiz, Liscano, and Webb recorded the three Bobcat hits in game two and Webb ended the day with three hits to lead Texas State offensively.
 
Texas State will now be on the road for the next five games, starting with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in two single games on Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch against the Islanders on Tuesday is scheduled for 3 p.m. and on Wednesday it's slated for 1 p.m.