SAN MARCOS, Texas – Sophomore pitcher Randi Rupp and senior first baseman Kendall Wiley shined Saturday afternoon as they helped lead the Texas State softball team to a doubleheader sweep over second place South Alabama. The 'Cats won game one by a score of 3-1 before shutting out the Jaguars 3-0 in game two.
 

Rupp, after striking out 12 and pitching all seven innings in game one of the day, stepped up in game two and was hitless through six and a third against the Jaguars. The decision to pitch Rupp wasn't an easy one, but it worked out in the Bobcats' favor.
 
"When Randi Rupp is throwing like that, you have the chance to win against anybody in the country in my opinion," said head coach Ricci Woodard. "The game time decision to go ahead and keep going with her was obviously an iffy call, but I just felt like she had her best stuff going for her today and we just kept riding it out."
 
Rupp was supported by a Bobcat team that scored six runs on 14 hits throughout Saturday including a 5-for-6 effort from the plate with a double and three RBIs by Wiley.
 
"Offensively I thought we did a great job, especially in some key situations," added Woodard. "Kendall Wiley did exactly what she's been trying to do for the last couple of weeks. She's been working out a lot harder and it's nice to see all of that pay off."
 
Rupp allowed just six Jaguar hits and one earned run. The Bobcats improved to 29-17 on the season and 8-9 in Sun Belt Conference play.
 
WHO STOOD OUT
Randi Rupp / P / Sophomore / Mont Belvieu, Texas
Rupp finished Saturday with 14.0 innings pitched and 20 strikeouts. In the first game of the day going against Devin Brown, the league leader in strikeouts entering today, Rupp won the strikeout battle 12 to 10. Her opponents today registered just six hits and in game two, she was two outs away from her third career no-hitter. Rupp now has nine double-digit strikeout games this season. She improved her overall recorded to 21-9 this season.
 
Kendall Wiley / 1B / Senior / Austin, Texas
Wiley finished Saturday going 5-for-6 from the plate with a double and three RBIs. She went a perfect 3-for-3 in game one and in game two she ended up on base after all three at bats. The three hits in game one was just the second time this season Wiley had a three-hit game. She now has nine multi-hit games this season including three out of the last four games.
 
Sara Rupp / C / Sophomore / Mont Belvieu, Texas
In addition to a solid day behind the plate for her twin, Rupp helped the Bobcats offensively by rattling off two hits in game two. It was the first game this season Rupp had more than one hit in a game. She finished the day going 2-for-4 for Texas State with 20 putouts, one assist, and zero errors.
 
SCORING
GAME ONE

• Bottom 2^nd – Corrina Liscano used a 13-pitch at bat to register the first Texas State hit of the ball game. A bunt single by Taylor Webb put runners on first and second before Jaelyn Young drew a walk to load the bases. With one out, Kendall Wiley recorded a single up the middle to score Liscano, giving Texas State a 1-0 lead. (1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on base)
• Top 4^th – With one out and a runner on first, Amanda Minahan tied the ball game up with an RBI double to left centerfield. (1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
• Bottom 6^th – After a strikeout to start the inning, Webb and Young drew back-to-back walks to get a runner in scoring position. With two outs, Wiley recorded her third hit of the ball game to score both runners on base and give the Bobcats a 3-1 lead. (2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base)

 
GAME TWO

• Bottom 2^nd – Liscano led the inning off with an eight-pitch walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Webb. Young went on to register her first hit of the day, a single down the right field line, to score Liscano. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base)
• Bottom 6^th – After Sara Rupp walked with one out, Wiley tallied her fifth hit of the afternoon with a single down the right field line. Prior to Wiley's at bat, Kayleigh Norte came in to pinch run for Rupp. Norte advance to third on Wiley's single and on the throw to try and get Norte at third, Wiley put herself in scoring position. A fielding error by the South Alabama shortstop during Bianca Prado's at bat scored Norte for the first run of the inning. Kelli Baker stepped up to the plate after Prado and drove in the third run of the game with a single to right field. (2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 3 left on base)

 
NOTES

• In game one, South Alabama left runners on second or third without scoring a run. In the third and the fifth innings, the runner on third was stranded after Randi Rupp recorded a strikeout for the final out of each inning.
• Pitchers Randi Rupp and Devin Brown (South Alabama) combined for 481 strikeouts coming into the weekend. After game one with a combined 22 strikeouts, the two surpassed the 500 mark. Rupp and Brown both ranked in the top four in the nation coming into Saturday.
• Texas State improves to 4-1 overall against South Alabama with all five contests occurring at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.
• With 256 strikeouts this season, Rupp has now surpassed Brown as the league-leader in that category. Rupp has also lowered her season ERA to 1.64 after allowing her first earned run in five appearances.

 
NEXT UP
The Bobcat and the Jaguars will conclude the series Sunday morning with a single game at 11 a.m. Live stats, live audio, and live video will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com.