SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball run-ruled the Sam Houston Bearkats on Thursday night by a 10-0 score line in just five innings that featured Kat Zarate's second home run of the season, and Megan Kelnar's first career home run.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 
Karmyn Bass got things started early in the first inning for the Bobcats with a 2 RBI triple as the third batter in the lineup. Hannah Earls and Ciara Trahan both singled to get on base in the first two at-bats. Bass would score off a Anna Jones ground out to second to make things 3-0 after four batters.
 
From there, Kat Zarate tacked on two more runs on a homer to left field that scored herself and Sara Vanderford who got on base from her 54^th career double. Megan Kelnar would fly out to end the inning, but the Bobcats carried a 5-0 lead after the first inning.
 
Jessica Mullins struck out one in the first and second inning, but would retire six-straight batters to start the game.
 
In the second, Sydney Harvey got things rolling with a triple to left field. She'd score off a Karmyn Bass single to make things 6-0 at the bottom of two.
 
Both sides were unable to add any runs in the third.
 
Mullins struck out the first batter in the fourth while the next two ground. The 'Cats came out swinging in the 4^th, though. 
 
Megan Kelnar swung for the fences on a 1-2 count and homered it to left field to make things 7-0. Up next, after a Harvey strikeout, Earls was walked to get on base. Bass was also walked. Anna Jones would double to left center to score Bass and Earls.
 
Vanderford would hit her 55^th career double to score Anna Jones in the bottom of the fourth. After four the 'Cats led 10-0.
 
Head Coach Ricci Woodard made a line change in the top of the 5^th to close the game out. Presley Glende came in to pitch and would fly out the first two batters. She'd give up on double before grounding out the last batter and keeping the Bearkats off the board. After five innings, the 'Cats take the 10-0 run rule.
 
From Head Coach Ricci Woodard: "That's the key to our success right there, is we changed the way we approached the game from the start. Coming out aggressive early. If we can do that all weekend, we'll put ourselves in a pretty good spot."
 
From Pitcher Jessica Mullins: "Once we reviewed last weekend, we felt like we needed to attack a little bit earlier at the start of the game and not wait until the end, so we just focused on that this week."
 
From Catcher Megan Kelnar: "We attacked early instead of getting behind in the count. Coming out here our mindset was real good. We could tell from our locker room that we were all ready to go today."
 
From DP Karmyn Bass: "Just bouncing back after two or three days of practice. Knowing we still needed to stay disciplined still needed to do the same thing going up to the plate. I think if we stick to our plan we can score a lot of runs like we did tonight."
 
UP NEXT: The Bobcats will return to action tomorrow playing a doubleheader with Tulsa and Northern Colorado. The Bobcats first game will start at 1:30 pm and the second at 4 pm.