MOBILE, Ala. – The Texas State softball team played in a hard fought battle and ultimately fell short to No. 1 UL Lafayette Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament by a score of 9-7. There were four lead changes in the contest and three runs in the fourth by the Cajuns proved to be the final time the lead would exchange hands.
 
Texas State falls to 38-19 on the year and 2-1 in SBC Tournament play. Texas State will play the winner of Georgia State and South Alabama, the match-up immediately following the game between the Cajuns and the Bobcats.
 
Just as UL Lafayette would take the early lead in the first, Texas State had an answer in its half of the inning. Ariel Ortiz got the Bobcats on the board in the first after hitting a double to left center to score Kelli Baker.
 
Then in the third, the Cajuns went on to have a four-run inning to take a 5-2 lead. Discipline at the plate combined with a fielding error by UL Lafayette in the bottom half of the third allowed for the 'Cats to regain the lead with four runs of their own. The Bobcats drew five walks in the bottom of the third.
 
A three-run home run in the top of the fourth, however, for the Cajuns was the final stamp the No. 1 seeded team needed to take the final lead away from Texas State. The Bobcats managed to get one run back in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Cajun lead down to two.
 
The Bobcats registered five hits in the setback. Ortiz, Kimberlin Naivar, Kelli Baker, Alex Cruz, and Bianca Prado all recorded a hit for Texas State. Randi Rupp was dealt the loss after coming in relief in middle of the third inning. Texas State took over the lead while Rupp was in the circle before UL Lafayette regained the lead in the fourth. She falls to 28-11 on the year.
 
WHO STOOD OUT
Ariel Ortiz / SS / Sophomore / Waxahachie, Texas
Ortiz got the Bobcats on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a double in the gap in left center. She also reached base with a walk and she scored two of the seven Bobcat runs. Defensively, Ortiz made several key plays including a diving stop toward third to keep a runner from scoring in the second.
 
Alex Cruz / 2B/3B / Sophomore / Atascocita, Texas
Cruz came in to pinch hit for the Bobcats in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on first and second and two outs, Cruz hit a ball that bounced right over third base in fair territory to bring Kendall Wiley around to score. Cruz has now registered six hits in her last nine at bats for Texas State.
 
SCORING
Top 1^st – UL Lafayette's Haley Hayden led the game off with a double down the left field line. A ground ball to second advanced her to third before Lexie Elkins hit a sacrifice fly to right field for her to score. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
 
Bottom 1^st – Kelli Baker led the inning off with a five-pitch walk. A ground by Kimberlin Naivar advanced Baker to second before Ariel Ortiz hit a double in the gap in left center that brought Baker in to score. Ortiz then advanced to third on an illegal pitch and scored on a throwing error by the left fielder on a shallow fly ball. (2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 left on base)
 
Top 3^rd – Shellie Landry led the inning off with a solo home run to left center. With runners on first and second after a pair of singles, DJ Sanders doubled down the left field line to score one. One more run crossed the plate after the Cajuns registered a single through the left side. (4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
 
Bottom 3^rd – Texas State loaded the bases after an infield single by Naivar and back-to-back walks drawn by Ortiz and Corrina Liscano. The first Bobcat run of the inning came after Jaelyn Young drew a walk. An illegal pitch during the next at bat scored Ortiz from third. After Kendall Wiley reached base due to a walk, Sara Rupp brought in two when the shortstop recorded a fielding error. (4 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 3 left on base)
 
Top 4^th – UL Lafayette took over the lead with a three-run home run. The runners on base reached after a walk and a fielder's choice. (3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
 
Top 5^th – A triple down the right field line started off the inning for UL Lafayette. A fielding error by the Bobcats during the next at bat allowed for the runner on third to score. (1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 left on base)
 
Bottom 5^th – With two outs, Alex Cruz came in to pinch hit with runners on first and second. A single down the third base line by Cruz scored Wiley. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on base)
 
NOTES

• This season against the Panthers, Texas State is 1-2. Against South Alabama, the Bobcats are 4-0 including a win in game two of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
• Texas State drew nine walks against the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year. Coming into the game Alex Stewart only had walked 23 batters all season. The nine walks by Stewart was a career-high and her previous season-high this year was three.
• Eight different Bobcats recorded a walk with Kendall Wiley leading the way with two.

 
NEXT UP
Texas State will now play at approximately 5:00 p.m. against the winner of Georgia State and South Alabama. A victory in the second game of the day will send Texas State to the championship game against No. 1 UL Lafayette at 1:00 p.m. Saturday. Live stats will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3.