TROY, Ala. – Randi Rupp tossed her 11th complete-game shutout of the season and Christiana McDowell provided a run scoring single in the second as second-seeded Texas State eliminated fifth-seeded UTA by a 1-0 score in the Sun Belt Championship elimination bracket final.
 
Texas State (41-14) advances to Saturday's championship game, which is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN platform. It marks the second straight season the Bobcats have played for the Sun Belt championship. Moreover, it is the 11th time in program history TXST has advanced to a league championship game (two Sun Belt / nine Southland).
 
Rupp improved to 27-9 on the season with the win and totaled her 21st complete game. The Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year struck out four in her 7.0 innings, while not issuing a walk and scattering five hits. She allowed only two runners to reach second all evening and none to advance to third.  
 
The Kennedy Cline and McDowell totaled TXST's two hits as UTA's Sam Clakley went 6.0 strong innings for the Mavericks (32-26) with two strikeouts.
 
Texas State scored the game's first run in the second inning as McDowell drove home Cline with a single up the middle. Cline hit a one-out single and moved to second on a wild pitch before taking third on Bailee Carter's ground out to short. McDowell then delivered Cline home for her 21st RBI of the season.
 
UTA put runners on with one out in both the fourth and fifth, but each time Rupp kept the Mavericks off the scoreboard. After TXST stranded a runner on third in the sixth, UTA's Whitney Walton roped a two-out double off the base of the wall in center, but would not advance as Rupp got Aileen Garcia to pop out to Ariel Ortiz at short.
 
The Texas State offense went down in order in the top of the seventh and Rupp quickly retired the first two she saw in the bottom half before Shelbi Sikes singled through the right side. But, like she had all game long, Rupp induced a lazy pop up by pinch hitter Bri Burchianti to end the game.
 

?? #2 @TXStateSoftball 1 vs. #5 @UTASoftball 0

Softball Championship Semifinal#FunBelt pic.twitter.com/UDBoEdZ226

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?? Game 11 Press Conference@TXStateSoftball#FunBelt pic.twitter.com/CYspBgIX1O

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