LAS CRUCES, N.M. — In search of someone to fill the pitching void left by the graduations of Meagan King and Dalilah Barrera, sophomore Karsen Pierce showed Saturday afternoon the Southern Miss transfer has the tools as she kept New Mexico State off balance during a 14-2 Bobcat victory. 

Pierce, her Texas State debut, worked around back-to-back baserunners to start the bottom of the first with back-to-back strikeouts and a liner to Sara Vanderford at third to end the first. An inning later, with a 9-0 lead, the only baserunner to reach against Pierce came via a throwing error. 

In the bottom of the third, with a 12-0 now, Pierce retired the Aggies in order, including her fourth strikeout of the contest. It took four innings before New Mexico State got to Pierce as the Aggies plated its lone run against the right-hander on a one-out grounder to Vanderford. 

FROM HEAD COACH RICCI WOOARD

"Karsen showed us tonight exactly what we were expecting from her when we sought after her this past summer. It was great to watch her compete the way she did." 

BATTING LEADERS

• Hits — Ciara Trahan, Sara Vanderford, Caitlyn Rogers, Dani Elder, Claire Ginder (2)
• Runs — Sara Vanderford (3)
• RBI — Dani Elder (3)
• Home Runs — Dani Elder, Samara Lagway, Claire Ginder (1)
• Doubles — Piper Randolph (1)
• Walks — Kylie George (3)

PITCHING LEADERS

• Innings Pitched — Karsen Pierce (4.0)
• Strikeouts — Karsen Pierce (4)
• Walks — Tori McCann (0)
• Earned Runs — Tori McCann (0)
• Hits — Tori McCann (1)

SCORES BY INNINGS

• 1st | Texas State 4, New Mexico State 0
• 2nd | Texas State 9, New Mexico State 0
• 3rd | Texas State 12, New Mexico State 0
• 4th | Texas State 12, New Mexico State 1
• 5th | Texas State 14, New Mexico State 2

GAME NOTES

• With back-to-back double-digit runs scoring performances to open the 2022 season, it marked the first the Texas State softball program has scored 10-or-more runs in back-to-back games since scoring 11 against Montana and 10 versus Bradley on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. 
• With her two-run home run during the top of the third inning, Dani Elder became the first Texas State softball student-athlete with a home run in back-to-back games since ArieAnn Bell hit solo home runs against Georgia State (May 12) and UTA (May 13) during the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. 
• With her four-inning victory Saturday afternoon, sophomore Karsen Pierce became the first Texas State softball student-athlete to earn the win in her Bobcat pitching debut since Jessica Mullins earned a seven-inning win over Abilene Christian on Feb. 22 to open the 2021 season. 

UP NEXT

• Texas State (2-0) will conclude its season-opening three-game weekend on Sunday, Feb. 13, when the Bobcats square off against Oregon State (1-2) at 11:30 a.m. CT. 
• For the latest information on the team, follow @TXStateSoftball on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.