HOUSTON, Texas – Texas State took advantage of five Houston errors and seven strong innings in the circle from Randi Rupp to shut out the host-Cougars 7-0 on Wednesday.
 
The Bobcats improve to 17-4 on the season, while Houston suffered its first loss in nine games in dropping to 14-12 overall.
 
R. Rupp finished with her fourth complete-game shutout of the season in pushing her record to 11-2. The junior righty struck out seven, while scattering four hits and issuing two walks.
 
Kimberlin Naivar and Ariel Ortiz each finished with two hits each as the Bobcats counted seven total base knocks. Naivar also scored twice, as did Christiana McDowell.
 
Texas State scored two runs in the third inning for the early lead. Naivar reached on a fielding error and came around to score on Ortiz's double to left-center. McDowell scored the second run of the frame on the Cougar's second error after singling up the middle earlier in the inning.
 
The Bobcats broke the game open in the fourth, scoring four runs on two hits and two UH errors. Bailee Carter scored the first run of the inning on an error after drawing a walk. Naivar scored her second run of the game on the second UH error of the inning, Sara Rupp drew a bases-loaded walk to score McDowell and Ortiz came around to score the fourth run on Lexi Fryar's sacrifice fly to right-center.
 
In the bottom of the fourth Houston moved a runner to second, but R. Rupp came back with two strikeouts to end the Cougar threat.
 
Jaclyn Molenaar scored in the top of the fifth to provide the 7-0 final. The junior reached on Houston's fifth error of the game, then scored on Ortiz's sac fly to center field.
 
The Cougar's Heebner (6-4) suffered the loss, giving up five hits and six runs (two earned).
 
UP NEXT
Texas State plays its first Sun Belt Conference home series of the season starting Saturday, March 18 against Appalachian State. The Bobcats and Mountaineers are scheduled for a noon (CT) and 2:00 p.m. (CT) doubleheader on Saturday and a single game Sunday at noon (CT).
 
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