MOBILE, Ala. – Ariel Ortiz set the Texas State career home run record with her 30th dinger in game one and Randi Rupp earned two wins as the Bobcats blanked South Alabama in Saturday's Sun Belt doubleheader at Jaguar Field.
 
The Bobcats took game one 5-0 and game two 1-0
 
Texas State is now 28-8 on the season and 10-3 in Sun Belt play, while South Alabama falls to 24-14 overall and 6-9 against league foes.
 
Game One Recap
 
It took Ariel Ortiz 35 games into her junior season to become Texas State's all-time home run leader with 30th career round-trippers.
 
Ortiz broke open a 1-0 game in the fifth with a three-run inside-the-park homer as Texas State went on the take game one of the day's doubleheader by a 5-0 final over South Alabama.
 
Ortiz and Taylor Webb led the Bobcats at the plate as both hit a double and home run. Ortiz was 2-for-4 with four RBI and Webb 2-for-2 with a RBI, walk and stolen base. Along with Webb and Ortiz, Jaelyn Young (double), Bailee Carter (single) and Kennedy Cline (single) collected base knocks to account for the Bobcats' seven hits.
 
Randi Rupp, who moved into sole possession of third on the TXST career strikeout list with 810 on a strikeout of Morgan Lutticken in the second, pitched her sixth complete game shutout of the season in improving to 17-5. The junior fanned 12 Jaguars, marking her seventh double-digit strikeout performance of the season, and scattered six hits, while only issuing one free pass.
 
South Alabama led off the home half of the first with back-to-back singles and a sac bunt to put two runners in scoring position with one down. However, Rupp squashed the Jaguar threat with consecutive strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.
 
Webb gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the second with a two-out solo home run. The blast, which cleared the scoreboard in left center, was Webb's seventh of the season and first since March 18 against Appalachian State.
 
Texas State moved two runners into scoring position in the fourth with two outs, but the Bobcats were not able to capitalize as USA's Destin Vicknair escaped the inning with a routine grounder to third.
 
In the fourth South Alabama used a double and a walk along with a two stolen bases to again put two runners in scoring position, but Rupp induced a grounder to short the was gloved deep in the hole by Ortiz, who fired in time to first for the third out.
 
Ortiz cleared the bases with her record-setting homer in the fifth, boosting the Bobcat to a 4-0 lead. Sara Rupp led off the frame with a walk, pinch runner Jaclyn Molenaar moved to second on a sac bunt and took third on Lexi Fryar's pinch-hit grounder to shortstop. Christiana McDowell then drew a walk and stole second to set the stage for Ortiz. The junior sent Vicknair's 2-1 offering into center field where it was lost in the sun by the Jaguar defender and ricocheted to the wall in right center. Ortiz, who was running hard out of the box, crossed home for her 12th round-tripper of the season without a throw to the plate.   
 
Vicknair (10-6) suffered the loss in the circle, throwing a complete game with four strikeouts and seven hits allowed.
 
Game Two Recap
 
Christiana McDowell singled home Haleigh Davis to break a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh as Texas State downed South Alabama 1-0 in game two of the day's doubleheader.
 
Quincy Charleston, who did not factor into the decision, started and went 4.1 innings for the Bobcats (28-8, 10-3 Sun Belt) before giving way to Randi Rupp with one out and a runner on in the fifth. Rupp (18-5) threw the final 2.3 innings, surrendering only a single hit, while striking out four, including the final batter of the game with the tying run on third.
 
Each of the TXST's six hits in the game were by different Bobcats with only Taylor Webb's double in the fourth falling for extra bases.  
 
The game was hitless until the bottom of the third when the Jaguars legged out back-to-back infield singles with one out. Charleston responded to strand both Jaguars with consecutive ground balls to Corrina Liscano at third, who tagged the advancing runner each time.
 
South Alabama loaded the bases in the fourth on consecutive singles with two outs. But like she did an inning prior, Charleston stranded the runners as she got Kaleigh Todd to hit a chopper to Ariel Ortiz at short. Through four innings of play, Charleston prompted 10 Jaguar ground outs.
 
Davis led off the Texas State fifth with a walk, was bunted to second by Kennedy Cline and sent to third as Bailee Carter singled through the right side, putting runners on the corners. The Bobcats were unable to take advantage as Davis was thrown out at home on Jaclyn Molenaar's fielder's choice and USA's Destin Vicknair escaped unscathed with a pop up to first for the third out.
 
After a scoreless sixth, Davis opened the seventh with a single through the left side. Cline followed with a bunt single and Jaclyn Molenaar walked two batters later to load the bases with one out. McDowell came through with the game-deciding RBI on a sharply hit single to short, scoring Davis for a 1-0 Bobcat lead.
 
Megan Harris then led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and moved to third after a sac bunt and ground out. However, Rupp kept the tying run 60 feet away as she fanned Amanda Minahan to end the game.
 
Vicknair (10-7) was saddled with the loss, throwing a complete game with four strikeouts and six hits allowed.
 
UP NEXT
Texas State and South Alabama conclude the three-game series with a single game Sunday (April 9) at 1 p.m.
 
BOBCATS' STRIKE OUT CANCER GAME SET FOR APRIL 12 VS. BAYLOR
• Texas State softball will support the NFCA Strikeout Cancer initiate on April 12 against Big 12 foe Baylor. The game, which is proudly presented by Phi Kappa Psi - Texas Gamma, will feature the Bobcats wearing pink jerseys in support of the initiative. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game and will have a chance to donate to Pink Heals Hays County, which champions the mission of inspiring communities to come together for the love of their people and not one specific disease or cause. For more information, visit PinkHealsHaysCounty.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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