AUSTIN, Texas — There was no intimidation factor from the Texas State Bobcats when it faced the seventh-ranked Texas Longhorns Wednesday night as seven innings wasn't enough to determine a winner as the game ended in the bottom of the eighth inning on a throwing error to allow Texas to escape with a 1-0 win. 

"I thought we did a good job of competing and that was our goal coming in here and being on the road for the first time and being in this atmosphere," said Texas State softball head coach Ricci Woodard. "I thought our young players did a good job of coming out and competing and that's what I wanted to see."

On the heels of a seven-inning no-hitter in her collegiate debut, freshman Jessica Mullins (1-1) got the starting assignment for Texas State (2-1) in the pitching circle. The right-hander tossed 7.2 of scoreless-earned run softball to extend her consecutive earned run scoreless inning streak to begin her college career to 14.2. For the night, Mullins scattered four hits, issued three walks, struck out two and allowed one unearned run after throwing 102 pitches to 32 Longhorn batters. 

"Obviously, Mullins threw the ball well enough to win a ballgame tonight," said Woodard. "There were just a couple of crucial defensive mistakes at the end of the ballgame and that won the ballgame for (Texas)."

As both teams entered the eighth inning looking to break through in the run column, ArieAnn Bell recorded her second hit of the night when she led off the inning with a single through the right side. She was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of pinch-hitter Kylie George, who ultimately found her way to second base with two outs after a groundout a batter later. 

However, Cat Crenek flew out to the third baseman in foul territory to end the inning and strand George on second. 

Lauren Burke opened the Texas half of the eighth inning by reaching via a fielding error by Sara Vanderford. Shannon Rhodes moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt. Mullins answered by striking out Colleen Sullivan on three-straight pitches for the inning's second out.

"These freshmen like to have the ball in their hands and that's what I like about them," said Woodard. "I call these kids 'field rats,' because they like to play the game."

A batter later, Mary Iakopo hit an 0-2 pitch on the ground to Tara Oltmann at shortstop, but her throw to Hailey MacKay at first base was high to allow Burke to round third and score to end the game. 

Texas State will play its second-straight nationally-ranked opponent on Friday, Feb. 26 when the Bobcats play No. 16 Mississippi State beginning at 1 p.m.