SAN MARCOS, Texas — The combination of timely hitting and dominate pitching propelled Texas State to an 8-0 win over Houston in five innings Saturday afternoon. 

"I think everything was clicking on all cylinders," said Texas State softball head coach Ricci Woodard. "I had six left-handers in the lineup today and I thought all six of them did a really good job today, so that was fun to see."

Tori McCann (3-0) drew the starting pitcher assignment for Texas State Saturday afternoon, and, after issuing a game-opening walk, went on to retire the next 10 straight Houston batters until issuing her second walk of the game with one out in the top of the fourth. She allowed her only hit of the game two batters later with a one-out single to right field. 

It ended up being the lone Cougar hit of the game as Daliliah Barrera entered the circle for McCann to start the fifth and struck out two of the three batters she faced. 

"I thought everything was working for (McCann) today," Woodard said. "I thought she threw the ball really well today. She commanded the plate and that's exactly what you want to see happen. Then we brought in (Barrera for the first time out of the bullpen) and got her some work under her belt. I was hoping to give her more, but I thought both of them did a good job of just controlling the plate."

Texas State (9-3) gave McCann an early lead when Kylie George, who led off the bottom of the first with an infield single, scored from third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sara Vanderford. The Bobcat offense really broke the flood gates the following inning as Hannah Earls, Vanderford and Hailey MacKay all had run-scoring hits in the frame that ballooned the Bobcats' lead to 5-0.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, ArieAnn Bell extended the Texas State lead to 7-0 with a two-run home run, before George ended the game with a two-out, bases-loaded single to plate Baylee Lemons. 

The two teams will conclude the three-game series on Sunday, March 7 at 12 p.m.