SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball totaled 20 runs on 15 hits, including five home runs, in taking two games (11-0, 9-1) from Appalachian State in Sun Belt Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
 
Texas State took game one 11-0 behind 4.0 innings of scoreless six strikeout work in the circle by Randi Rupp, while the Bobcat lineup scored the 11 run on five hits – three of which left the yard.
 
In game two Ariel Ortiz hits two three-run home runs – her eighth and ninth of the season – in leading the Bobcats to a 9-1 win.
 
The wins improve Texas State to 19-4 overall and 4-0 in Sun Belt play, while Appalachian falls to 11-11 (0-2 Sun Belt).
 
Game One Recap
 
Texas State scored five runs in the second inning, five in the third and one in the fourth to take game one of the three-game series against the visiting Mountaineers 11-0.
 
Three of the Bobcats' five hits were home runs, while Appalachian State's pitching staff walked home four runs.
 
Randi Rupp earned her 12th win of the season to improve to 12-2 as she worked four complete with six strikeouts. Jaelyn Young led the Bobcats at the plate with four RBI, including a three-run blast.
 
After Rupp struck out the side on 15 pitches to open the game, Kimberlin Naivar drew a leadoff walk and took second on Christiana McDowell's sac bunt. However, the senior would be stranded at second as App. State's Vanessa Ciocatto worked her way out the inning with a fly ball out to center and a groundout to third.
 
App. State's Matthewson led off the top of the second with a single, but like Naivar a half inning earlier, was stranded at second after being sacrificed over.
 
Texas State scored five runs in the home half of the second to break the game open. Taylor Webb led off the frame with a towering home run to dead center for her sixth round-tripper of the season. Corrina Liscano, Haleigh Davis and Bailee Carter then walked to load the bases and prompt a Mountaineer pitching change. Katie Willford immediately walked Naivar to send home the Bobcats' second run of the inning. After a McDowell pop up to third, Ortiz walked, Young was hit by a pitch and Webb walked for a 5-0 TXST lead before Willford got out of the inning with a grounder to second base.
 
The Bobcats doubled its lead in the third, scoring five runs on three hits. Davis scored the first run of the inning on a McDowell sac fly, Carter then scored on an Ortiz single up the middle and Young cleared the bases on the next pitch with her eighth blast of the year.
 
Corinna Liscano counted the Bobcats 11th and final run of the game with a solo shot to left in the fourth inning. The homer was her first of the season and 24th by a Bobcat this year.
 
Ciocatto (1-4) suffered the loss in the circle, surrendering five runs (two earned) in her 1.1 innings in the circle.
 
Game Two Recap
 
Ortiz hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first and another three-run shot in the fourth to count six of the Bobcats RBI in a 9-1 win over Appalachian State.
 
Ortiz finished contest 3-for-4 with six RBI. Liscano also went 3-for-4 at the plate with three double, including the final hit of the game that scored Webb and Ortiz and force the run rule.
 
Jodi Paige Williams started in the circle and went 2.1 innings, giving up five hits and a run, before giving way to Quincy Charleston with a runner on third. Charleston immediately ended the Mountaineer threat and went on to earn the win with 3.2 innings of one-hit, one strikeout pitching.
 
Ortiz spotted the Bobcats a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first with her eighth homer of the year. The junior sent Annaleise Kennedy's first offering well over the wall in left, scoring Naivar and McDowell, who led off the inning with a walk and bunt single, respectively. Three walks loaded the bases for Sara Rupp, who delivered the Bobcats' fourth run with a fielder's choice to shortstop.
 
Cara Parker got a run back for the Mountaineers in the third as she led off the inning with a solo shot over the left-field wall. App. State later moved a runner to third, but Charleston, who came on in relief Williams, escaped the jam with an inning-ending strikeout of Sidney Russell.
 
Naivar led off the fourth with a single to second and McDowell reached on an error in left-center to set up Ortiz's second homer of the game and a 7-1 lead. After fouling off three of the five previous pitches in the at-bat, Ortiz lofted a breaking ball over the left-field wall for her team-leading ninth home run.
 
Texas State put the game away in the sixth with two outs as Liscano doubled home Ortiz and Webb with two outs.
 
App. State's Kennedy (2-4) suffered the loss, allowing seven Bobcat runs on seven hits in her 4.0 innings.
 
UP NEXT
Texas State and Appalachian State conclude the three-game series with a single game Sunday at noon.
 
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