SAN MARCOS – The Texas State softball team (25-21, 13-8 Sun Belt) managed to scatter just three hits in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Troy Trojans (35-16, 17-6 Sun Belt) on Friday evening at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

KEY MOMENTS
- Texas State put each of the first two batters on base in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of walks, however, the Cats were unable to capitalize on the opportunity as the next three batters were retired via sacrifice bunt, strike out, and fly out.
- Troy opened the scoring in the top of the second inning with an RBI double from sophomore infielder Hope Hernandez. The hit gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead.
- In the top of the third inning, the Trojans struck again. Sophomore designated player Bailey Taylor connected on a towering home run to left field to score a pair. The round-tripper brought the game to the final score of 3-0.
- The Bobcats left a runner on base in each of the final three innings but were unable to deliver the crucial hit.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sophomore pitcher Meagan King (16-11) was credited with the loss after hurling a complete game. She was touched up for three earned runs on seven hits and three walks. She struck out a trio of Trojan hitters.
- Both ball clubs left seven runners on base during the game despite Troy out-hitting Texas State by a tally of 7-3. TXST left runners stranded in six of the seven innings.
- All three Bobcat hits were collected by batters in the top four of the lineup. Junior infielder Christiana McDowell and sophomore infielder Tara Oltmann each tagged doubles and drew a walk.

NOTABLES
- Sophomore infielder ArieAnn Bell ran her on-base streak to 21 games with a single off the pitcher in the bottom of the sixth inning. The stretch is the longest of any Bobcat hitter this season.
- Troy has defeated Texas State in three of the last four meeting between the two schools in the regular season dating back to the 2018 campaign. Texas State toppled Troy twice in the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championship on the historic title run.
- Texas State falls to 3-14 in games in which the opposition scores first.

ON DECK
- The Bobcats continue the conference series against Troy with game two starting a 2 p.m. on April 27 at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The softball program continues to raise awareness for ovarian cancer research as former Texas State great Randi Rupp has donated an autographed, game-worn Cleveland Comets jersey to the program for silent auction. Bids will be accepted until the fifth inning of the game tomorrow.

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