Box Score BOONE, NC – Texas State softball notched its second win against App State in a 3-1 win in Boone, NC. The Bobcats four hits and three runs in the opening inning would be the difference maker in the team's second conference win of the 2023 season.   
 
After a slow start to yesterday's game, the Bobcats came out firing on all cylinders in game two. Hannah Earls would single as the second batter up, followed up by a Sara Vanderford single. Anna Jones was walked, so when Karmyn Bass singled on the next play it was good for two RBI after a throwing error. 
 
Katarina Zarate kept things rolling for the Bobcats on her single that allowed Anna Jones to score. The Bobcats have lost just one game this season when scoring three or more runs in the opening inning.
 
When the Mountaineers came up to bat, Tori McCann shut them down from atop the mound. McCann went three up, three out after striking out the Mountaineers leadoff batter.
 
The two teams went scoreless in the second inning, and only App State was able to get on board in the third. Sidney Martin would single to right field and advance on a fielding error from Jones. Kayt Houston would score, putting the game at 3-1 after three innings played.
 
The game came to a stalemate in the fourth inning as the only hit between the two teams was a Piper Randolph double. McCann once again went three for three in the fourth to hold the lead for the Bobcats.
 
McCann would tab her third and fourth strikeouts on the night as she held the Mountaineers to two hit-less innings in the fifth and sixth. 
 
Despite two hits in the seventh, the Bobcats would head to the bottom of the seventh with a two-run lead. McCann would close out the game for her fourth complete game of the year.
 
To earn the closing outs, Hannah Earls would hurl two back-to-back ground outs to JJ Smith. Headed to the final out McCann needed just her fifth strikeout of the night to close out the game.
 
McCann would have her second most strikeouts of the season to clinch the final strike out swinging and end the game, preserving the Bobcats 3-1 win. McCann allowed just one hit on the night, her first complete game allowing just one hit of the season.
 
UP NEXT: The Bobcats will close the series with the Mountaineers on Sunday morning at 12 p.m. After the series the team will return home for a weekend with Southern Miss beginning on April 6^th. The series will be three games with the first pitch on Thursday at 6 pm (CT).