SAN MARCOS, TX — If asked to pick just one favorite moment from Texas State's 5-2 win over Troy Sunday afternoon, that person would struggle.
Inside the lines, there were plenty of options. Anything from Texas State (32-17, 16-8) holding a five-run lead after the fifth inning to
Jessica Mullins pushing her win total on the season to 23 or possibly
Caitlyn Rogers hitting her second career triple would do the trick. Even
Sara Vanderford not recording an official at bat because she drew three walks on the day could be appreciated.
For those looking for something sentimental from the day, prior to Mullins (23-11) firing the game's (official) first pitch into Rogers' glove, the mothers of the six Texas State softball senior student-athletes — Emily (Cat) Crenek, Charmagne (Caitlyn) Rogers, Kathy (Brooke) Blackwell, Sharon (Samara) Lagway, Lisa (Dani) Elder and Stephanie (Kylie) George — tossed the (unofficial) first pitch with their daughters on the receiving end.
Not enough?
With two outs in the top of the seventh, Texas State softball head coach
Ricci Woodard left the dugout and headed towards the home plate umpire to make two lineup changes.
Crenek, who had started the game as the team's designated player, jogged towards the dish in her catcher's gear and embraced Rogers, who had caught every out up until this point of the Bobcats' eventual three-game sweep over the Trojans. Rogers exited the game to a standing ovation. 43 feet away, Mullins gave way to Blackwell, who was making her first pitching appearance since March 19, 2022, at South Alabama, to record the game's final out.
With four of the five active seniors on the field — Crenek at catcher, Blackwell pitching, Lagway at first base, George in right field and Rogers on the top step of the dugout with Elder nearby — Blackwell closed out the game by striking out Katelynn de Leon on four pitches. It was Blackwell's first strikeout since fanning a pair against Boise State on March 6, 2022, in Tuscon, Ariz.
"I felt chills," Crenek said when asked about those two senior-related moments. "I've gone through these last four years with (Rogers) and when I hugged her before she went out, it felt like the game just stopped. I get chills thinking about it."
"Obviously on senior day, you want things to go just the way they did, so that you have that opportunity to make sure everyone gets into the game and finish on a positive note," Woodard said. "The good part is everyone one of those kids are team players, so they were all willing to do whatever it took for us to win ballgames."
With Sunday's contest putting a cap on the 19-game home schedule for Texas State, the program will now travel to Arlington, Texas, where the Bobcats will wrap up the 2022 regular season with a three-game series at UTA beginning on Thursday, May 5 at 6 p.m. CT.
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