SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball continues its road trip with a midweek game against Texas A&M. The Bobcats will see the Aggies on Wednesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. inside the Davis Diamon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
ABOUT THE BOBCATS:
Texas State, which is coming off a 38-win campaign and narrowly missing an NCAA Regional as an at-large bid, was picked second in the Sun Belt coaches preseason poll. The Bobcats have finished in the conference's top three in the standings for three straight years, but the conference has grown this year with three new teams: James Madison, Marshall, and Southern Miss.
 
The Bobcats returns 12 players from last year's team, including former All-Sun Belt players Jessica Mullins(pitcher), Sara Vanderford (third base), Ciara Trahan (outfield) and Hannah Earls (shortstop). The Bobcats also return position players Anna Jones (52 games) and Piper Randolph (43 games). Offensively, the Bobcats return 61 percent of their RBI from last year (146 out of 238). 
 
In the circle, the Bobcats return Mullins, Karsen Pierce (26 appearances, 13 starts), Presley Glende (17 appearances, 3 starts) and Tori McCann (7 appearances, 2 starts). Texas State returns 98 percent of its innings pitched from last season.
 
In her junior year, pitcher Jessica Mullins has entered Texas State's all-time top-10 in several career categories.
 
-       4th overall for ERA (1.88),
-       8th for appearances (113)
-       8th for innings pitched (536.1)
-       6th for wins (61)
-       10th for shutouts (11).
-       Mullins is one complete game away from breaking into the top 10 with 41.
 
In addition to Mullins, third baseman Sara Vanderford is also climbing the Texas State career lists. The senior is third in career batting average (.326), 4th in career doubles (47), 4th in career home runs (28), and 5th in career RBI (129).
 
Hannah Earls has made her way into the record book with 58 stolen bases, good to be 3rd on the all-time list. Sophomore Ciara Trahan is in the record books with a .326 batting average in 319 at bats, good for second on the all-time list.
 
The Bobcats head into this week's game with a 26-18-1 record on the season. The Bobcats are on a four-game losing streak after facing No. 8 Texas and No. 25 Louisiana in a three-game series. 

So far this season Earl's leads the team with a .345 batting average where she has 49 hits and 20 runs while tacking on 11 RBI. She has been walked 15 times this season and leads the team with 16 stolen bases. Additionally, Ciara Trahan leads off for the Bobcats with a .314 batting average with 28 runs on 43 hits with 14 RBI.
 
The Bobcats have one of its strongest pitching staffs in history this season. The Bobcats boast three pitchers with 15+ appearances with ERAs under 2.50. Jessica Mullins has a 2.24 ERA and a 14-8 record. Additionally, Karsen Pierce has a 2.23 era with a 5-3 record, and Tori McCann has a 2.26 ERA with a 6-6 record.
 
Texas State sits in 7^th place in the Sun Belt.
 
ABOUT THE AGGIES:
Texas A&M comes into the week with a 26-16 record on the season. The Aggies are coming off a three-loss series with South Carolina. The Aggies had beat Louisiana 4-2 prior to the road series with South Carolina that put them on a three-game losing streak. 
 
Texas A&M has four batters batting above .300 this season Julia Cottrill, Trinity Cannon, Amari Harper, and Keely Williams. Cottrill leads the way with a .357 batting average with 25 runs and 40 hits in 112 at bats. She tacks on 25 RBI, tied for a team high.
 
Pitching for Texas A&M should be Shaylee Ackerman or Emiley Kennedy. Ackerman has a 2.48 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 23 earned runs in 65.0 innings pitched. Batters have a .203 average against her. Kennedy has a 2.64 ERA with 83 strikeouts and 30 earned runs in 79.2 innings pitched. Batters have a .218 average against her.
 
LAST TIME OUT: 
The last time the Bobcats faced the Aggies the Aggies won 4-1 in College Station. All time, the Aggies have the upper hand in the series with a 66-11 record. Texas State has just four wins in College Station in program history.

UP NEXT: Texas State will return to Bobcat Softball Stadium for a three-game series with ULM. The series will start on Friday, April 21^st at 6 p.m. All three games of the series will be streamed on ESPN+.