TROY, Ala. — Texas State ended Sunday's back-and-forth battle with Troy on the wrong side of the final score as the Trojans plated three in the bottom of the fifth and held on late to take Sunday's series final 6-4 to avoid the sweep. 

Texas State (33-10, 14-6) opened the Sunday contest with a three-run top of the first inning as the Bobcats were able to take the early lead off four hits and one Troy error. 

Hannah Earls got the ball rolling when she beat out a throw from across the diamond for an infield single. She came around to score three batters later when Sara Vanderford continued her productive weekend with a one-out single to right field. Hailey MacKay followed with her 102nd career RBI when she brought in Tara Oltmann with the Bobcats' third hit in the inning. Cat Crenek forced a Troy (33-12, 16-5) pitching change after she legged out an infield single, too, and allowed Vanderford to score from third. Samara Lagway kept the line moving when she was hit by a pitch to load the bases. 

Unfortunately, back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning and left the bases full of Bobcats. 

Troy responded with three unearned runs in the bottom half of the frame as two runners scored on a throwing error and a third came across on a wild pitch. 

Two innings later, Texas State re-took the lead when Molly Damiani, who pinch ran for MacKay after being credited with an infield single, scored from second on a throwing error by the Trojans.
 
Meagan King (9-2), who entered the pitching circle for Jessica Mullins with one out in the bottom of the second, retired the Trojans in order after the Bobcats took the one-run lead. The 1-2-3 inning was the first by either team at the time and was part of a run of eight straight batters retired by King. 

The streak was broken in the bottom of the fifth inning when a fielding error allowing the leadoff batter for Troy to reach. The next five Trojans reached base as the home team plated three runs on four hits and three TXST errors in the inning, before Mullins re-entered and struck out back-to-back batters to end the frame. 

Earls attempted to spark a come-from-behind rally in the top of the sixth when she singled back up the middle for her second hit of the game, which marked the fourth straight plate appearance which resulted in the freshman reaching base after she drew a walk and was hit by a pitch between her two singles. But Piper Randolph grounded out to end the inning. 

Troy tried to add to its lead in the bottom of the frame as two batters reached, but Mullins recorded all three outs via strikeout to keep the Trojans out of the run column. 

Texas State looked poised to attempt a second come-from-behind win as Vanderford singled the first pitch she saw in the top of the seventh. However, no Bobcat was able to get past first during the inning. 

Texas State will return to action on Thursday, May 6 at 6 p.m. when the Bobcats host in-state conference foe UTA for a three-game series.