STATESBORO, Ga.– Taylor Webb hit a three-run home run and Randi Rupp struck out eight to lead Texas State to a 4-3 win in the series rubber match at Georgia Southern Sunday afternoon.
 
Texas State improved to 33-11 on the season and 14-6 in Sun Belt play, while Georgia Southern fell to 22-22 overall and 12-9 against conference foes. The series win, coupled with Georgia State's series loss at Louisiana, moved the Bobcats into sole possession of second in the Sun Belt standings.
 
The Bobcats finished the day with five hits and the Eagles nine. Christiana McDowell was 2-for-4 to collect her seventh multi-hit game of the season and Webb's three RBI was her sixth multi-RBI day this year.
 
Quincy Charleston started in the circle for the Bobcats, but did not factor in to the decision. Randi Rupp pitched 7.0 innings to earn the win and improve to 21-7 overall. She struck out eight Eagles, moving her series total to 20 and career tally to 870.
 
Georgia Southern starter Dixie Raley was charged with the loss after surrendering the Bobcats' four runs on four hits in 4.0 innings of work.  
 
Georgia Southern scored two in the first off Emily Snider's 13th homer of the season. Snider sent her two-run blast out to right center to score Mekhia Freeman, who had singled to lead off the inning. The Eagle hitters followed with a hit by pitch and single, prompting a move to Rupp out of the Bobcat bullpen. After a passed ball moved the runners up, Rupp retired the next three she faced to keep the Georgia Southern advantage at 2-0.
 
Texas State cut the Eagle lead to 2-1 in the second on Jaclyn Molenaar's RBI single to left. Webb walked and later scored from second as Molenaar looped a two-out single into the left-center field gap.
 
Webb gave the Bobcats a 4-2 lead in the third with her three-run shot to left. Ariel Ortiz and Haleigh Davis both came home on the round-tripper after reaching on a walk and fielder's choice, respectively. The homer was Webb's ninth of the season, tying her with Jaelyn Young for second on the team.
 
Georgia Southern trimmed the TXST lead to 4-3 with a run in the fourth. India Davis scored on Freeman's double down the left-field line after reaching base two batters prior with a bunt single.
 
Only TXST's Bailee Carter reached second base over the final three innings and Rupp sat down nine of the final 10 batters she faced to secure the Bobcat victory.
 
UP NEXT
Texas State plays host to I-35 rival UTSA at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The Bobcats downed the Roadrunners 8-1 back on Feb. 25 at the UTSA Classic.
 
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