HUNTINGTON, W.Va –  Texas State clinched the series against Marshall with a 9-1 run-rule win on Sunday afternoon. A homerun for Sara Vanderford would start the late-inning scoring run to solidify the dominant win on the day.
 
Through the opening inning of play, walks were the name of the game. Trahan was walked on an eight-pitch as bat, she advanced on Megan Kelnar's bunt. She made it to third when Karmyn Bass was walked as well but Anna Jones would fly out to leave two on in the end of the inning.
 
Jessica Mullins would start in the circle for the Bobcats. She gave up a hit and walked two Marshall batters to load the bases. From there, though, she would fight to pitch two inning-ending strikeouts to keep the Herd off the board.
 
Both sides went three up three down to put the game through to the third. Hannah Earls got on the board in the top of the third off a triple to center-field, then she advanced home off Trahan's ground out.
 
Bass would help add a second run to the tally when she'd double to center to advance Vanderford home on the play.
 
The Herd pulled one back following a Coleman triple where she'd score on a sacrifice fly from the next batter. Mullins would add another strikeout before the inning ended.
 
A hit apiece from the two sides in the 4^th wouldn't be enough to add to the scoring tally so headed into the fifth inning the game would still sit at 2-1.
 
The Bobcats started to hit their stride in the top of the fifth when Sara Vanderford would hit a two-run home run to left field. Earls would score on the play after her single to make the lead 4-1. 
 
Katarina Zarate would extend the lead off her single to centerfield. Her single would allow Bass to score and make it a 5-1 game. The Bobcats tacked on another with a bases-loaded walk on JJ Smith's at-bat.
 
To answer the four-run inning, the Bobcats defense came in clutch to allow just one hit in the bottom of the fourth. Mullins struck out the first batter up and got the second out on a lineout. To end the inning, Megan Kelnar would make a pinpoint perfect throw to Zarate at second base to catch Coleman stealing.
 
The Bobcats just continued to add to the tally in the sixth inning. After reaching on a fielder's choice, Kelnar would score on Bass's single. Two at-bats later, Bass scored on Zarate's double to left field. Jones would also score on the play. Headed to the bottom of the 6^th the Bobcats held a 9-1 lead.
 
Mullins would add her 8^th, 9^th and 10^th strikeouts of the day in the final inning of play. She gave up a walk but struck out two back-to-back batters to earn the run-rule win to clinch the series for Texas State.
 
Texas State now sits at 31-21-1 on the season with a 11-7-1 record in conference play. 
 
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^th inside Bobcat Stadium and all three games will be available to stream on ESPN+.