STATESBORO, Ga. — The Georgia Southern pitching staff held the Texas State offense back for as long as it could, but the Bobcats broke through with a four-run sixth inning to knock off the Eagles, 5-1, and extend their winning streak to eight games in a row.
Despite having a runner in scoring position in innings two through five, Georgia Southern (9-28, 4-13) starting pitcher Rylee Waldrep (5-12) kept the Texas State (28-17, 12-8) offense out of the run column.
But the Bobcats got the ball rolling in the top of the sixth.
Following back-to-back walks to
Cat Crenek, who finished the contest with a game-high three hits, and
Piper Randolph, who did not register an official plate appearance in three trips to the dish after two walks and a hit by pitch,
Claire Ginder put down a sacrifice bunt to advance both into scoring position.
With one out in the frame,
Tori McCann tied the game when the junior singled a 1-2 pitch back to centerfield to score Crenek from third. McCann stole second to put two Bobcats into scoring position following a strikeout for the visitors' second out.
Ciara Trahan, a freshman, went on to deliver a go-ahead, two-out, two-run single through the right side to push Texas State ahead for the first time on the afternoon.
Following a pitching change,
Hannah Earls kept the momentum rolling for the Bobcats when the sophomore singled a 2-1 pitch into left field to advance Trahan to second.
Sara Vanderford, the conference's preseason player of the year, made it a three-run game when the junior plated Trahan on a single through the left side of the diamond.
After entering the game with one out in the bottom of the fifth,
Jessica Mullins (19-11) retired the Eagles in order on just 10 pitches to keep the momentum in the Texas State dugout. The Bobcats capitalized on that opportunity when
Tori McCann executed a one-out suicide squeeze bunt attempt that brought Crenek home from third and extended the Texas State lead to four runs.
Seven pitches from Mullins, who took over for
Karsen Pierce after 4.1 innings of one-run softball, in the bottom of the seventh is all it took to close for the sophomore right-hander to set down the Eagles and help Texas State claim its second consecutive Sun Belt Conference series win.
The Bobcats will go for the series sweep of Georgia Southern on Sunday, April 24 at 10 a.m. CT.
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