HUNTINGTON, W.Va – The Bobcats pulled out a 3-0 road win to open the final road series of the regular season. The Bobcats solidified the win off a record-breaking three RBI double from Sara Vanderford and a complete pitching performance from Jessica Mullins.
 
The Bobcats were unable to get anybody on base in the opening inning, but good defensive work kept things scoreless in the bottom of the first despite the Herd having two on base.
 
In the second inning, Karmyn Bass started things off with a double to left field. She'd steal third only to get out on JJ Smith's at-bat. Anna Jones got walked and when Megan Kelnar grounded out the Bobcats would be unable to score despite having runners on base.
 
Mullins would throw two strikeouts in the bottom of the second to keep the Herd from getting on base. After two innings things remained scoreless.
 
Both sides went three up and three out in the third inning. In the fourth, the Bobcats were again able to get on base but were unable to get any runs. The Herd got two on base but lockdown defense from the Bobcats kept things at zero. The game, up to this point, was a chess match.
 
To break the deadlock, it'd be a three RBI double from Sara Vanderford. The double was Vanderford's 51^st of her career, the most of any Bobcat in school history. Her double gave the Bobcats a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning. Her hit would be the lone scoring play of the game.
 
"In these type of ball games the key hit is going to win the game," head coach Ricci Woodard said. "But you can't afford to put baserunners on for either team right now."
 
Through the 6^th inning Texas State was unable to add to their tally, but they kept the Herd to just two runs. Mullins sat with five strikeouts headed to the bottom of the 7^th.
 
"Both pitchers threw the heck out of it today and I thought they both did a good job," Woodard said.

Mullins would throw two strikeouts to close out the game. This would mark the junior pitcher's 14^thcomplete game of the season. She now has 43 complete games in her career and 12 shutout wins. She sits in 10^th place in school history in both categories.
 
After shutting down the Herd in seven innings, the Bobcats would take the win on the day and improve to 30-20-1 on the season and 10-7-1 in conference play.
 
Game two of the three-game series with Marshall will be tomorrow, April 29^th, at 1 p.m. (ET) at Dot Hicks Field. 
 
Following the series with Marshall the Bobcats will return home to close the 2023 regular season slate with a three-game series versus James Madison. The weekend series will start May 4^thinside Bobcat Stadium. All three games will be available to stream on ESPN+.