SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State put up seven runs in the third inning and Jessica Mullins turned in a complete game as the Bobcats ended the Texas State Tournament with a 7-4 win over Wichita State on Sunday.
 
The Bobcats (3-2) spoiled the Shockers (4-1) attempt at a perfect weekend with a crooked third inning that featured 12 batters to the plate, five hits, two walks and two Wichita State errors that resulted in runs.
 
Sara Vanderford had an RBI single in the third while JJ Smith plated two with a double into left field. Megan Kelnar, who got her first career hit earlier in the inning, later drove in a run with a fielder's choice.
 
Texas State scored its first run in the third on a wild throw by Wichita State's Lauren Howell in attempt to put out Hannah Earls at first on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The misguided attempt by Howell allowed Katarina Zarate to score from second and advanced Kelnar to third. Later, Kelnar scored when with the bases loaded, Piper Randolph grounded to short but Wichita State's Sydney McKinney's throw to home to put Kelnar out was off the mark.
 
"I love the way we came out punching today," said Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard. "After a day yesterday where things can go either way today, I like the way they responded. They came out to punch first. I thought we did a good job of learning through the first four games and using some of the things we learned and doing a better job today all the way around."
 
The Bobcats had to respond in the third inning after Wichita State took a 2-0 lead in the top half of the frame on a two-run double by Lauren Lucas. Lucas brought in Sami Hood, who led off the inning with a double, and Sydney McKinney, who followed Hood with a walk.
 
Mullins limited the damage in the third, though, and ended the day scattering eight hits, two walks and four runs over the seven innings. The junior also had four strikeouts and picked up her second win of the season with the 31st complete game of her career.
 
Mullins allowed the leadoff runner to reach in each of the first three innings and four of the first five, but she held the Shockers to 2-of-15 (.133) with runners on base.
 
The Bobcats, meanwhile, were 5-of-10 with runners on base and 4-of-9 with runners in scoring position.
 
The Shockers did cut into the Texas State lead with a two-out solo home run by Lainee Brown in the fourth and a one-out RBI single by Zoe Jones in the fifth. Wichita State put two of its first three runners on base in the fifth, but only scored one run as Mullins worked out of a jam with a fly out and groundball.
 
Mullins retired eight of the last nine batters she faced between the fifth and seventh innings.
 
Vanderford led the Bobcats with two hits: the single in the third and a two-out double in the fourth.
 
Seven different Bobcats scored a run while seven also reached base at least once.
 
Texas State returns to the field on Thursday with its opening game of the 2023 I-35 Tourney co-hosted by UTSA. The Bobcats face Lamar on Thursday at Bobcat Softball Stadium with a 6 pm game.