MOBILE, Ala. — Texas State sophomore right-handed pitcher
Jessica Mullins has appeared in two career Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship games. And the Bobcats have won both of those contests, 2-0, following Wednesday afternoon's two-run win over Appalachian State.
"We just, sorta, survived that game like we have the last few games when
Jessica Mullins is in the circle," said Texas State softball head coach
Ricci Woodard said. "My theory is if the opposing team can't score, then we can't lose.
"I thought (Mullins) threw a heck of a ballgame. She struggled a little bit early with her control, but she ended up finding it and dominating the game, in my opinion."
Mullins, who was named the Sun Belt's Pitcher of the Year two days ago, ran her consecutive scoreless innings pitched in the Sun Belt Softball Championships to 14 straight frames following her seven-inning outing Wednesday afternoon. She also fanned four and surrendered only two hits — both singles — to the Mountaineers.
In her only other postseason Sun Belt appearance, Mullins (26-11) tossed a seven-inning, two-hit shutout against Georgia State in the Bobcats' opening game last season.
"Mullins just does a great job of attacking the zone," Woodard said. "Her job is to go out there and throw strikes, so, as long as she's throwing strikes, she's going to be hard to beat. She can throw the ball in, she can throw the ball out, throw it up, throw it down and she can change speeds.
"If all that's working for her, she's going to be hard to hit."
App State (29-25) managed a two-out single in the top of the first inning off the bat of all-conference performer Kayt Houston. But Mullins responded by inducing a pop up to third baseman
Sara Vanderford in foul territory.
An inning later, App State created a two-out rally that eventually became the visitors' best chance against the Bobcat's ace. The Mountaineers drew two full-count walks — marking just the fifth time in her last 22 appearances in the circle Mullins had issues multiple walks in an outing — with both advancing into scoring position on a passed ball.
But
Tori McCann hauled in a groundball and stepped on first to cap the rally.
Texas State (36-17) used smallball in the bottom of the frame to give Mullins a one-run lead when
Claire Ginder scored
Anna Jones, who led off the inning with an infield single then advanced to second on a walk then third on a sacrifice bunt, from third on a one-out sacrifice fly to centerfield.
With the lead, Mullins went on to retire the next nine consecutive Mountaineer batters, before Emma Jones drew a full-count walk to start the sixth. Jones worked her way to third following a sacrifice bunt then a groundout but was stranded on Mullins' third strikeout of the game.
The Bobcats responded with a single run in the bottom of the sixth when
Kaitlyn Dutton, in her first career collegiate plate appearance, drew a full-count, two-out, bases-loaded walk to plate
Caitlyn Rogers, who started the two-out rally with a single to centerfield.
After getting its first hit in the top of the first, App State managed a second hit in the game with a one-out single in the top of the seventh, before back-to-back grounders to Vanderford closed out Mullins' complete game shutout.
Third-seeded Texas State will now play second-seeded South Alabama on Thursday, May 12 at 1 p.m. CT.
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