SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State softball team (0-1) opened the 2019 season with a hard fought 3-2 loss against I-35 rival UTSA (1-0) on Thursday night at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

Junior outfielder Christiana McDowell led the Bobcat offense, going 2-for-3 at the dish. Freshman designated player Molly Damiani went 2-for-4 with one run scored in her collegiate debut. The Texas State offense scattered six hits in the game and left a total of nine base runners stranded.

Sophomore pitcher Meagan King (0-1) went the distance, pitching all 7.0 innings. She was tidy in six of her seven innings of work but allowed a three-run third inning. In the loss, she was credited with three earned runs on six hits, three walks and a game-high five strikeouts.

For the Roadrunners, senior outfielder Bailee Baldwin terrorized the Bobcats. She was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and drove in UTSA's first runner with an RBI double into the outfield gap. of the RBI double.

Sophomore pitcher Madison Nelson (1-0) tossed a gem of a game for UTSA. She went the first 6.0 innings and allowed one earned run (two total runs) on four hits and a pair of walks. She gave way to sophomore pitcher Clarissa Hernandez in the seventh inning. Hernandez found trouble in the final frame but was able to close the game out after allowing two hits and a walk.

Texas State broke the seal early in the ballgame, scoring a run in the home half of the first inning without registering a hit. Damiani made it to second base on an error by the UTSA third baseman and would score after an error from the right fielder. The Cats led 1-0 after one inning.

UTSA bounced back with a huge inning in the top of the third. The Roadrunners strung together three runs on three hits. UTSA placed the leadoff runner aboard on a five-pitch walk. The next batter laid down a perfectly executed bunt to give the visitors runners on first and second with no outs. Baldwin delivered an RBI double to the right field gap to even the score. A sacrifice fly from sophomore infielder Victoria Villarreal and a single from freshman infielder Riley Grunberg put UTSA ahead by a 3-1 count in the middle of the third inning.

Fast forward to the sixth inning. The Bobcat offense came alive on a leadoff single from junior infielder Hailey MacKay. She was lifted for a pinch runner in freshman Cat Crenek. She found her way to third via a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base. Sophomore infielder ArieAnn Bell brought her home on an RBI single through the left side to cut the deficit to a run.

In the bottom of the seventh inning the Cats had ample opportunities to bring the tying run across. TXST put a pair of runners on base with one out before loading the bags with two outs. The game ended on an infield pop fly with the score 3-2 in favor of the road team.

Up next, the Bobcats will continue the 2019 Bobcat Classic with a pair of games on Feb. 8. Game one will feature a matchup with North Dakota State at 1:15 p.m., while game two will see TXST take on Colorado State at 3:30 p.m. at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

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