SAN MARCOS, Texas — Texas State's come-from-behind effort against South Alabama Sunday afternoon came up just a bit short as the Bobcats fell 7-4. 

"I think the biggest thing is that we have to get better," said Texas State softball head coach Ricci Woodard. "We kind of might have been coasting for a bit there and didn't really have to get much better, but this weekend we learned where some of our weaknesses are and what we need to work on. I thought, though, we did a good job today of fighting back after some things weren't going our way throughout the game."

South Alabama (21-12, 9-4) got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Kennedy Cronan sent the first pitch she saw during her plate appearance back up the middle for a two-run single after the first two Jaguars reached base on back-to-back singles. 

An inning later, ArieAnn Bell connected on her 25th career home run when she sent a 3-2 pitch well beyond the right-field fence for a two-out, two-run home run to tie the game after Tara Oltmann opened the inning with a double down the left-field line. 

The 2-2 tie was short-lived, though, as South Alabama score five runs in the top of the third courtesy of a two-run home from Abby Krzwiecki and a three-run home run from Kamdyn Kvistad off Bobcat starter Tori McCann (4-1). 

Texas State (25-6, 8-3) continued its offensive output in the bottom half of the third as Marisa Cruz hit her first career home run when she sent a 3-1 pitch over the left-field fence for a solo home run. Oltmann added to the run column later in the inning when she singled home Hannah Earls from third. 

Despite 11 combined runs between the two teams through the game's first three innings, the all-too-familiar pitchers' duel broke out the rest of the game as Jessica Mullins and Meagan King did not allow a Jaguar hit over the game's final 4.1 innings. 

While the Bobcat pitching staff kept the Jaguars off base, the Bobcat offense was finding a way to get on base as at least one runner reach in innings four through seven. 

In the fourth, Bell drew an inning-opening walk, before a double play and ground out ended the inning. An inning later, Earls and Kylie George drew back-to-back walks to start the inning, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sara Vanderford. However, back-to-back strikeouts left Earls and George in scoring position. 

A two-out single by Baylee Lemons highlighted the action in the bottom of the sixth, before Earls started the seventh with an infield single. Oltmann followed with her third hit of the game two batters later to bring up the potential game-tying run to the plate in Hailey MacKay, but a flyout to right field ended the game. 

Texas State will return to action on Wednesday, April 11 when the Bobcats travel to Waco, Texas to play Baylor University.