SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball split its first two games of the 2017 season, falling 1-0 to Abilene Christian and besting Texas Tech 2-1 during the first day of the 2017 edition of the CenturyLink Classic.
 
The Bobcats received superb pitching performances from both its starters as Randi Rupp struck out 11 and allowed only three hits in the tough-luck loss to the Wildcats, then Jodi Paige Williams threw a complete game three-hitter to lead the Bobcats to its win over the Big 12's Red Raiders.
 
GAME 1
ABILENE CHRISTIAN 1, TEXAS STATE 0
 
Offensive production came a premium throughout early innings as the teams combined to go 1-of-16 with runners on base through the first four innings. Furthermore, only three runners reached second in the four innings with none advancing to third.
 
Texas State, who played as the visitors in the contest, threatened in the top of the sixth as Jaelyn Young roped a leadoff double off the left center field wall. However, Abilene Christian's Sydney Holman came back to strand the runner at third as she closed the frame with her eighth strikeout of the game.
 
The game remained scoreless heading to the bottom of the seventh. Rupp started the frame with a strikeout of pinch hitter Savannah Rendon and induced a Kaleigh Singleton lineout to second before a walk to Tori Poullard and a single down the left-field line by Taylor Brown put runners on first and second with two away. Alli Spivey then singled home the winning run with a sharply hit single back up the middle as Poullard, who was running on contact, scored from second.
 
Rupp suffered the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season, despite finishing with 11 strikeouts, four walks and three hits. Abilene Christian's Sydney Holman went seven complete, notching 10 strikeouts of her own, while surrendering only five hits and two free passes.
 
GAME 2
TEXAS STATE 2, TEXAS TECH 1
 
The Bobcats second game of the CenturyLink Classic played much as the first unfolded with neither team advancing a runner past second until Ariel Ortiz moved to third on a Corrina Liscano double down the left-field line in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ortiz would be stranded at third and the game would remain scoreless until Texas State broke through in the fifth.
 
With two outs in the fifth, the Bobcats' Bailee Carter singled to left and later advanced to second on a passed ball. Two batters later Kimberlin Naivar singled down the third-base line to move Carter to third. The freshman would score TXST's first run of the year moments later as Ortiz drew a bases-loaded walk. 

In the bottom of the sixth the Bobcats added an insurance run as Liscano came around to score on a Haleigh Davis single after drawing a lead-off walk.
 
Texas Tech threated to extend the game past the seventh, scoring one run and leaving two on base before the final out was made. Camaury Washington scored for the Red Raiders as a pinch runner for Kassidy Scott, who reach safely on a fielder choice.
 
Williams earned the complete-game, throwing 85 pitches and allowing three hits and only a single walk. Kassidy Scott took the loss in the circle for the Red Raider as she went six complete, allowing two runs and five hits against three strikeouts.
 
Five different Bobcats and three different Red Raiders combined for the game's eight hits.
 
UP NEXT
Texas State continues the season-opening CenturyLink Classic on Saturday, playing Iowa at 10 a.m. and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 12:30 p.m.
 
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