LOS ANGELES – The 2018 season came to a close for the No. 22 Texas State softball team (43-16, 18-5 SBC) on Saturday night at Easton Stadium. In game one of elimination day, the Bobcats took down the fourth-seeded Sacramento State Hornets (31-20, 14-7 Big Sky) by a score of 8-4. In the final game of the evening, the UCLA Bruins (52-5, 20-4 Pac-12) eliminated Texas State in a 14-1 victory.

GAME 1
TEXAS STATE 8, SACRAMENTO STATE 4

After the Bobcat offense struggled to gain traction in the first game of the tournament, Hailey MacKay flipped the script for Texas State against the Hornets. The sophomore drove a towering home run over the scoreboard in left field to give TXST an early 1-0 lead. Mari Cranek tacked on a second first inning run with an RBI single to center field to score Tara Oltmann.

Texas State doubled its score in the top of the third inning. Oltmann reach via a walk for the second time in the contest and advanced to second on a bunt single from Cranek. Both runners came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of Haleigh Davis.

Sacramento State scored three unearned runs over the first five innings of the game, capitalizing on three Texas State errors. With the score set at 4-3 heading into the seventh inning, Texas State exploded for four runs to put the game out of reach. ArieAnn Bell singled to right field to open the frame before being lifted for a pinch runner, Brianna Sannem. Ariel Ortiz laid down a sacrifice bunt but reached safely when the Hornet pitcher tried unsuccessfully to get Sannem, the lead runner, at second base. MacKay drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with no outs. Bailee Carter slapped a two-run single back up the middle, scoring Sannem and Ortiz. Two batters later, Davis reached base safely on a fielding error. Both MacKay and Davis were able to score on the play to give the Bobcats an 8-3 lead.

The Hornets inched closer to the Bobcats with a solo home run, but were unable to move the score closer than 8-4. Randi Rupp went the distance for Texas State. The senior earned the victory after yielding six hits, four runs (one earned) and three walks. She struck out six Sacramento State batters in the win.

GAME 2
UCLA 14, TEXAS STATE 1 (5 INNINGS)

The Bruins grabbed the early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. UCLA All-American candidate Rachel Garcia lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. The play scored two runners after a series of misplayed defensive situations from the Bobcat defense.

Texas State cut the deficit in half in the top half of the second inning. Bailee Carter drew a leadoff walk and quickly advanced to second base on a groundout from Mari Cranek. Davis delivered an RBI, her third of the day, on a single to center, scoring Carter from second.

Unfortunately, the wheels fell off for the Bobcats in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. The Bruins scored 12 runs on 12 hits and a couple of Texas State errors. The Bruins held onto the sizable lead in the top of the fifth, allowing the No. 3 nationally seeded UCLA team to advance to the Regional Championship title game with a five-inning run rule win.

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