MOBILE, Ala. – The Texas State softball team continued to roll in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Thursday afternoon with a 5-0 shutout victory over No. 2 South Alabama at Jaguar Field. Randi Rupp pitched the complete game shutout for the Bobcats as they improve to 38-18 overall this year.
 
The offense came alive in the top of the fourth inning by putting up four runs on the board. South Alabama threatened in the bottom half of the inning by loading the bases with just one out, but two swinging strikeouts by Rupp stymied the Jaguar offense to keep the score at 4-0.
 
The Bobcats added one more insurance run in the top of the seventh inning after Ariel Ortiz's second sacrifice fly of the day. Kimberlin Naivar got on base after a stand-up triple past the right fielder.
 
Texas State finished the afternoon with seven hits while South Alabama rattled off eight. The Bobcats are now 4-0 against South Alabama this season and 6-1 all-time.
 
WHO STOOD OUT
Randi Rupp / P / Sophomore / Mont Belvieu, Texas
In 7.0 innings pitched, Rupp threw her 11^th complete game shutout this season. She struck out eight in the win to improve her season total to 311. Rupp also improved to 28-10 on the year and is now a perfect 4-0 against South Alabama. In the bottom of the third inning where South Alabama had bases loaded with just one out, Rupp struck out the final two batters swinging. All three outs in the bottom of the third were strikeouts.
 
Kimberlin Naivar / LF / Sophomore / Mont Belvieu, Texas
Naivar finished the day going 3-for-4 from the plate with her first collegiate triple in the top of the seventh inning. Naivar had two infield singles that she beat out and in the seventh inning hit a ball that got past the right fielder. She scored two of the Bobcat runs.
 
Ariel Ortiz / SS / Sophomore / Waxahachie, Texas
Ortiz recorded two RBIs for the Bobcats as she had two sacrifice flies. In the top of the third, Ortiz brought home Kelli Baker for the first Texas State run of the game. Ortiz then drove home Naivar for the insurance run in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Taylor Webb / RF / Sophomore / Richmond, Texas
Webb's double off the wall in left center scored two and gave the Bobcats a 3-0 lead over South Alabama. Webb finished the day with one run scored as she scored on Kendall Wiley's single up the right field line. Webb also recorded one of the three walks for the Bobcats.
 
SCORING
Top 3^rd – Kelli Baker registered the first hit of the inning with a double off the wall in right field. Baker advanced to third on an infield hit by Kimberlin Naivar and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ariel Ortiz. A walk by Corrina Liscano set up runners on first and third again for the Bobcats for Taylor Webb who doubled to deep left center. A single down the line by Kendall Wiley scored Webb for the fourth Bobcat run of the inning. (4 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
 
Top 7^th – A triple with one out by Kimberlin Naivar put the Bobcats in position to add more to the board. A sacrifice fly by Ortiz brought Naivar home to give Texas State a 5-0 lead. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
 
 
NOTES

• The last time that the Bobcats won consecutive conference tournament games was back in 2012. Texas State won the Southland Conference title that season.
• This was Randi Rupp's 21^st complete game this season and 11^th solo shutout. She now has 28 wins this season which is one shy of moving into second all-time for wins in a season.
• It was Kimberlin Naivar's 11^th multi-hit game this season. She has now had eight multi-hit games since the Troy series including three of them.
• Coming into the game, Ariel Ortiz had just one sacrifice fly all year. With two today, she's up to three this year.
• The 38 victories this season is now the fourth most wins in a season at Texas State. All of the top victory seasons have been under the direction of Ricci Woodard.

 
NEXT UP
Texas State will play at 11 a.m. against No. 1 UL Lafayette Friday morning at Jaguar Field. The Ragin' Cajuns opened up the tournament Thursday morning with a 13-1 victory over Georgia State. The Bobcats will be the home team in Friday's game. All of the games Friday and Saturday will be broadcasted on ESPN3. Live stats and live audio will be available at www.sunbeltsports.org.