TAMPA, Fla. – The Texas State softball team (6-5) exploded for 14 runs in the top of the fourth inning to defeat Virginia Tech (9-1) by a score of 17-5 on Friday afternoon at the USF Softball Stadium on day one of the USF-Rawlings Invitational.

KEY MOMENTS
- Virginia Tech opened the game scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior pitcher Dalilah Barrera was able to settle in to close the door on the inning without allowing any further damage as the bases were left loaded.
- The Bobcats paraded 19 batters to the plate in the top of the fourth inning with 10 walks and three hit batters. Texas State plated 14 runs in the inning despite securing only two hits. Nine of the 14 runs in the inning were scored off bases-loaded walks or hit batters.
- Texas State added three insurance runs in the top of the fifth inning off RBI hits from freshman outfielder Jordyn Smith and junior outfielder Christiana McDowell.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Texas State was issued 16 free passes during the game with 12 coming via walk and four hit batters. The Bobcats were struck out just two times.
- Both TXST and VT collected six hits in the contest.
- Barrera (4-0) boasts a perfect record with four victories in her four appearances that ended with a decision.
- Eight of the nine Bobcat starters reached bases successfully at least two times or drove in multiple runs. The top of the lineup went 3-for-9 with three walks and eight runs batted in.

NOTABLES
- The run total marks the highest output for a Texas State team since defeating Texas 19-2 on March 19, 1996. The game is the fifth time in program history in which the Bobcats tallied 17-plus runs.
- Virginia Tech sophomore pitcher Keely Rochard started the season with 34.1 innings of scoreless softball before being credited with five earned runs in the top of the fourth inning.
- Texas State has scored double-digit runs in four games and has won via run rule in four matchups this season.
- The run-rule victory over Virginia Tech (ACC) marks the first such win over a Power-5 Conference team since toppling No. 13 Northwestern (Big Ten) 8-0 on May 15, 2009 in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Waco Regional.

ON DECK
- The Bobcats will get a chance at a season sweep of Virginia Tech with an 11:30 a.m. first pitch on Feb. 23. Day two of the USF-Rawlings Invitational will continue with a game against the host Bulls at 4:30 p.m. from USF Softball Stadium.

For all things Texas State softball, be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.