LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – Texas State softball will face the Troy Trojans in its opening game of the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Championships, The Bobcats come into the tournament as the fifth seed, which earns the team a first-round bye, and will begin play in the quarterfinal round.
 
ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT:
The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Championships is a single-elimination tournament. This is different from previous years where the bracket was double elimination. Since Texas State placed fifth, the team was able to surpass the first-round of games and will begin play in the quarterfinal round.
 
The Bobcats will play 4^th seed Troy to open the game, the winner of this game facing the winner of the Louisiana and ULM/Georgia State game. 
 
To view the full bracket, click here. All games will be streamed on ESPN+ and have live stats available on txst.com/stats.

ABOUT THE BOBCATS:
Texas State is coming into the 2023 Sun Belt Championships returning a large portion of last season's second place team.  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 returned 98 percent of its innings pitched from last season.
 
In her junior year, pitcher Jessica Mullins sits in Texas State's all-time top-10 in several career categories.
 
-       4th overall for ERA (1.82),
-       8th for appearances (121)
-       8th for innings pitched (584.2)
-       6th for wins (67)
-       10th for shutouts (13).
-       10th for complete games (46).
 
Third baseman Sara Vanderford is also climbing the Texas State career lists. The senior is second in career batting average (.327), 2nd in career home runs (29), and 2^nd in career RBI (137). In Texas State's series with Marshall, Vanderford hit her 51^st career double which moves her to sole owner of the title of most doubles in Texas State history.
 
Hannah Earls has made her way into the record book with 61stolen bases, good to be 3rd on the all-time list. Sophomore Ciara Trahan is in the record books with a .318 batting average in 360 at bats, good for fourth on the all-time list.
 
The Bobcats finished the 2023 regular season with a 33-22-1 record. To end the season, the Bobcats took two series wins over James Madison and Eastern Division champions Marshall. 

This season Earls lead the team with a .327 batting average where she has 56 hits and 23 runs while tacking on 14 RBI. She has been walked 15 times this season and leads the team with 19 stolen bases. On her next stolen base, she will hit 20 which will have her at her third season with 20+ stolen bases in a season, one of just seven Bobcats ever to accomplish the feat.  
 
Additionally, Ciara Trahan leads off for the Bobcats with a .302 batting average with 30 runs on 49 hits with 16 RBI.
 
The Bobcats boast three pitchers with 15+ appearances with ERAs under 2.60. Jessica Mullins has a 1.95 ERA and a 20-10 record. Additionally, Karsen Pierce has a 2.52 ERA with a 5-3 record, and Tori McCann has a 2.38 ERA with a 7-7 record.
 
Texas State finished the season 5^th in the Sun Belt. Texas State has an 11-11 record all time at the Sun Belt Conference Championships.
 
ABOUT THE TROJANS:
The Trojans come into the week with a 33-18-1 record on the season. Troy is coming off a three game loss streak after being swept by South Alabama in the final week of the regular season. 
 
Troy has three batters batting above .400 this season, Taylor McKinney, Libby Baker, Anslee Finch and Kelly Horne. McKinney leads the way with a .347 batting average with 41 runs and 52 hits in 150 at bats. She leads the team with 51 RBI.
 
Pitching for Troy should Leanna Johnson. Johnson has a 1.95 ERA with 184 strikeouts and 54 earned runs in 194.0 innings pitched. Batters have a .213 average against her. 
 
LAST TIME OUT: 
The last time the Bobcats faced the Trojans the game ended in a 2-2 draw on March 19^th. The last time these two teams faced each other in the postseason, Texas State won 9-5 in the 2018 championship, which Texas State would go on to win. The Bobcats are 2-0 against the Trojans in postseason games.