MOBILE, Ala. — The All-Sun Belt Conference duo of Sara Vanderford and Jessica Mullins were the focal points in Texas State's 3-0 conference win at South Alabama on Sunday, March 20. 

After recording a career-high 13 strikeouts against South Alabama (12-14, 5-1) Friday evening, Jessica Mullins (9-8) returned to the circle Sunday morning and picked up right where she left off. The sophomore tossed her fourth career complete game shutout against a Sun Belt opponent, while also adding eight strikeouts and allowing only three hits — all singles — to the Jaguar offense. 

Sara Vanderford broke the game's 0-0 tie with a one-out solo home run in the top of the fourth inning off South Alabama starting pitcher Olivia Lackie (6-4). The home run was the 19th on Vanderford's career, which ties the junior infielder with Kortney Koroll (2014-15) for 10th on the program's career home run list. 

Claire Ginder added to the Texas State (14-12, 2-4) lead two innings later when she plated Ciara Trahan from third base on a sacrifice fly to right field. In the seventh, Hannah Earls provided the Bobcats with an insurance run when she singled home Cat Crenek, who pinch ran for Caitlyn Rogers after she hit a one-out double down the left-field line. 

The RBI for Earls was the first for the sophomore since the Bobcats played at New Mexico State on Feb. 12, 2022. It was the first run-scoring hit against a conference opponent for the Willis native since she doubled home Piper Randolph in the bottom of the fourth against Coastal Carolina on April 2, 2021. 

South Alabama failed to advance a baserunner past second against Mullins on the afternoon. 

Caroline Nichols opened the South Alabama first with a single to centerfield, before Mackenzie Brasher drew a walk to move Nichols to second. But then Mullins went on to strikeout three consecutive Jaguar to end the frame. Like the first inning, when Meredith Keel reached second with two outs in the third, Mullins struck out Abby Allen looking to end the frame. 

Brasher became just the third baserunner to reach second against Mullins on the day when she singled to open the sixth, then stole second. Mullins, though, responded with a strikeout of Kamdyn Kvistad and then induced a flyout from Victoria Ortiz to end the frame. 

Texas State will now take a quick pause from Sun Belt action next time out when the Bobcats play host to the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday, March 23. It'll mark the first time the Longhorns have played the Bobcats in San Marcos since Wednesday, April 11, 2018, when Texas State won, 2-1, behind a complete game performance from Randi Rupp. 

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