TROY, Ala. — Piper Randolph did not waste time setting the tone in Texas State's 4-0 win over UTA when she tripled during the Bobcats' first plate appearance of the afternoon. She scored from third after Kylie George grounded out and the momentum was on from there. 

"I thought we did a good job of being efficient all the way around, both offensively and defensively," said Texas State softball head coach Ricci Woodard. "I thought our slappers did a good job and being more efficient in doing what they do. Then, obviously, our middle of the lineup did a good job today as well."

Taking the pitching circle in the bottom of the first inning with a 1-0 lead, Meagan King (11-3) retired the first three UTA batters on seven pitches. Courtney Ogle broke the streak of consecutive batters retired by King when she reached on a one-out fielding error. Two batters later, Emily Evans collected the first of UTA's two hits on the afternoon when she singled through the left side in the bottom of the second. 

King responded by retiring the next nine Mavericks in a row before Evans reached on a second Texas State fielding error with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Kenedy Hines followed with a bunt single. 

But, staying true to form, King got the next two batters out without allowing a run. 

Texas State (38-10, 17-6) pushed its lead to 3-0 the following inning when Tara Oltmann scored from third on a wild pitch, which also moved Sara Vanderford, who scored George from second on a single to left-centerfield, to third. 

King, for the second time in the game, went on to retire the UTA batters on seven pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning. The momentum carried over into the top of the seventh when ArieAnn Bell hit her second home run of the tournament when she led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run to right-centerfield. 

King closed out the win with a six-pitch bottom of the seventh to gap the Bobcats' straight complete game shutout in as many days. 

"We just really wanted to come out and get this win today to put us in a good spot for the rest of the tournament," said King. "I think getting UTA to chase my pitches really worked for me today. I was working the zone instead of leaving it up there for them. I was able to work down and throw what I wanted to."

The second-seeded Texas State Bobcats will return to action on Friday, May 14 when they play the top-seeded Louisiana at 10 a.m.