MONROE, La. – Ariel Ortiz hit her 29th career home run to tie the Texas State career record in leading the Bobcats to a doubleheader split at ULM on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bobcats took game one 5-0, then fell to ULM 3-2 in game two.
 
Texas State is now 23-5 on the season and 6-1 in Sun Belt play, while ULM ran its record to 19-11 overall and 4-4 against league foes.
 
Game One Recap
 
Ariel Ortiz accounted for three Bobcat runs, including her record-tying 29th homer, and the Bobcat defense backed up starter Randi Rupp as Texas State took game one 5-0.
 
Ortiz finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored on a homer and two doubles. Jaelyn Young was 1-for-3 with a two-run blast and Haleigh Davis went 1-for-3 with a single as the trio accounted for the Bobcats' five hits.
 
Rupp earned the complete game, shutout, and win with seven strong innings in the circle. The win was Rupp's 14th of the season, the complete game her ninth and shutout her fifth. She finished with seven strikeouts, while utilizing the Bobcat defense for 10 fly outs and three ground outs.
 
The win moved the Bobcats' win streak to 10 and overall record to 23-4 (6-0 Sun Belt). ULM fell to 18-11 and 3-4 in league play.
 
Texas State took a quick 2-0 lead in the first, scoring both runs with two outs. Ortiz opened the scoring with her program-record tying home run. The junior turned on ULM's Melanie Coyne's 2-2 offering, sending it over the fence at the left-field foul pole for her team-leading 11th homer of the season. Young followed with a walk, reached second on fielder's choice, took third on a ULM error and scored as Webb induced a run-down between first and second.
 
After three scoreless innings Texas State broke the game open with three runs in the fifth for a 5-0 lead. Bailee Carter walked and later came around to score on Ortiz's RBI double to center field. Young immediately followed with a two-run bomb to straightaway center for her sixth round-tripper of the season.
 
With the Bobcats sporting a 5-0 lead, Rupp sat down nine of the final 10 Warhawk batters she faced, surrendering only a walk in the seventh inning.
 
ULM's Coyne (12-5) suffered the loss in the circle, surrendering all five Bobcat runs (four earned) in her full five innings. Jessie Watts came on in relief and finished the final 2.0 innings for the Warhawks.   
 
Game Two Recap
 
ULM scored one in the first inning, two in the second inning and left the bases full of Bobcats in the top of the seventh to win game two 3-2.
The setback snapped the Bobcats' 10-game win streak and moved the Bobcats to 23-5 overall (6-1 Sun Belt). ULM improved to 19-11 (4-4 Sun Belt).
 
ULM's Paige Porter and Jessie Watts combined to limit the TXST lineup to five hits, while striking out six and issuing only two free passes. Porter earned the win, pitching 5.0 inning with four strikeouts. Watts picked up the two-inning save.
 
Quincy Charleston (4-1) was charged with the loss after starting and going one complete for the Bobcats, surrendering an unearned run, before being relieved by Jodi Paige Williams with a runner on first and no outs in the second. Williams threw the final 5.0 innings, notching a career-high tying eight strikeouts.
 
ULM took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first. Sydney McKay drew a leadoff walk, reached second on a pass ball and was doubled home by Jayden Mount for the Warhawks' first lead of the series.
 
ULM added two more runs for a 3-0 lead in the second. The Warhawk hitters took advantage of two walks and a two-out, two-run RBI double to left-center by McKay to plate the runs.
 
The Bobcats got two runs back in the third as Bailee Carter ripped a RBI triple to right that scored Kennedy Cline. Two batters later Christiana McDowell drove home Carter with a double over the outstretched arm of the ULM left fielder.
 
Both then pitching staffs settled and did not allow a runner past second until the Bobcats loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Taylor Webb and Kennedy Cline singles sandwiched a Corrina Liscano walk to put a Bobcat on each base. However, TXST would be unable to find a game-tying hit as ULM's Jessie Watts escaped the jam and end the game with a foul pop up to the catcher and a routine ground ball to second.
 
UP NEXT
Texas State and ULM conclude the three-game series with a single game Sunday (March 26) at noon.
 
BOBCATS GO4THEGOAL BY LACING UP FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER AWARENESS ON APRIL 5
Texas State softball and baseball will support the Go4theGoal organization by participating in Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer games on April 5. Both games will be played in San Marcos with softball hosting Texas (6 p.m.) and baseball UTRGV (6 p.m.). Both program will wear gold shoe laces in support of the initiative. Fans are encouraged to wear gold to the games and will have a chance to donate to Go4theGoal's mission of improving the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research and granting personal wishes. For more information, visit GO4THEGOAL.ORG.
 
FOLLOW THE BOBCATS
For all of the latest news and information on Bobcat softball, visit TXSTATEBOBCATS.com. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/TXStateSoftball along on Twitter (@TXStateSoftball) and Instagram (@TXStateSoftball).
 
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