DECATUR, Ga. — For the second time during the three-game series, the Texas State University softball pitching staff threw a complete-game shutout against Georgia State as Meagan King kept the Panthers off the scoreboard during the Bobcats' 7-0 victory Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's performance marks the second complete-game shutout and first of the seven inning variety for King (5-2) this season after the junior right-hander threw a five-inning shutout in Texas State's 12-0 win over Saint Louis on Feb. 15, 2020. It's King's sixth career seven-inning complete game shutout after tossing five in 2019, including one against Georgia State on March 29, 2019.

King's six strikeouts against Georgia State (7-15, 1-2) on Sunday were the second-most strikeouts by the right-hander this season after the junior recorded 11 strikeouts against South Alabama on Feb. 7, 2020.

King's afternoon was sparked as the Texas State (15-8, 2-1) offense scored four first-inning runs. Hailey MacKay started the scoring with a single back up the middle to score Bailee Carter., who led off the game with an infield single. Sara Vanderford, two batters later, knocked a 1-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for a three-run home run. It marked the third home run for Vanderford, a freshman from Pasadena, Texas, including one in both Texas State victories over Georgia State this weekend.

With a four-run lead, King allowed only two infield singles through the first two innings, before Texas State extended its lead to 5-0 when Vanderford singled home Molly Damiani with one out in the top of the third.

King surrendered another two-out infield single in the bottom of the third but got a flyout to centerfield to end the inning. The Panthers' best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the fourth when a two-out fielding error allowed Bailee Richardson to reach first. She advanced to third on a single to right field by Olivia Davis. But, one of King's six strikeouts ended the inning.

After Texas State added single insurance runs in the top of the fifth and seventh innings, which was highlighted by a solo home run from MacKay, King went on a stretch of retiring the next seven Panther batters in a row.

Georgia State got a baserunner on first to start the bottom of the seventh but was immediately erased on a double play from Eliza Eberhard, who drove in the run in the fifth inning, and MacKay. A two-out single in the inning came to not as King educed another flyout to centerfield to end the game and give the Bobcats the weekend series over the Panthers.

Texas State will return to action on Wednesday, March 11 when the Bobcats travel to College Station, Texas to play its third Southeastern Conference opponent this season. First pitch against the Texas A&M Aggies is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.