TEMPE, Arizona – Texas State softball finished day two of the Sun Devil/GCU Classic with two wins including a 5-4 win against Seton Hall and a 6-1 win against Ohio State on Friday afternoon.
 
The game with Seton Hall featured four hit-less innings from Analisa Soliz to give the Bobcats breathing room early on. The runs came off three-straight hits from the Bobcats in the first inning, a two run homer by JJ Smith in the 4^th, and a Vanderford RBI double in the 5^th. Seton Hall was able to put four runs on the board, but a clutch three-straight strikeout inning by Maddy Azua closed the game out for the Bobcats.

Azua continued the success as she opened the game two against Ohio State where she tossed 3.0 innings and gave up just one run on one hit. Jessica Mullins closed out the game with just one hit. Five different Bobcats scored the six runs on the way to the win. The fourth inning was the difference between the two sides as the Bobcats went up 4-1 off a sac-fly and two runs scored off a Buckeye error. From there, the 'Cats added two more runs in the 6^th as they cruised to the 6-1 win.

The Bobcats continue with day three of the Sun Devil/GCU Classic tomorrow when they'll play Utah Valley and Idaho State. The Bobcats will face Utah Valley at 11:30 and Idaho State at 2:15.
 
Game Summaries
'Cats Hold Off Seton Hall for 5-4 Win
The bats have been hot for the Bobcats this weekend and that continued as the 'Cats went for three-straight hits in the first inning. Hannah Earls doubled down the left line, followed up by a Ciara Trahan RBI triple. Vanderford singled to left on the next at bat for an RBI of her own to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
 
Analisa Soliz started in the circle for the Bobcats and pitched four hit less innings to give the Bobcats the advantage on defense.
 
In the bottom of the 4th, the 'Cats added two more runs to the tally off a JJ Smith two-run homer that scored her and Piper Randolph, who got on base off a single to right.
 
The Pirates pulled three runs back in the top of the 5^th off four hits, including two doubles. 
 
Vanderford hit an RBI double to right to give the Bobcats a two-run lead in the 5^th. That would be the Bobcats final run of the night.
 
Tori McCann had one run scored on her in the top of the 6^th before Maddy Azua came on to close the game out. With two runners on and two outs, Azua got a strikeout to keep the Pirates from tying the game.
 
Despite another Randolph single, the Bobcats didn't add any more run in the 6^th. It was up to Azua to close the game out and preserve the Bobcats lead.
 
Azua tossed three straight strikeouts, two of them being three-pitch strikeouts, to end the game in the top of the 7^th and help the 'Cats hold on to the one-run lead. The Bobcats came away with a 5-4 lead. 

Bobcats Capitalize Off Errors, Win 6-1 Against Ohio State
To open the game, neither side was able to get a hit until JJ Smith hit the RBI single in the top of the 2^nd. Anna Jones had gotten on base from a five-pitch walk and stolen second during Smith's at-bat. Smith's single went deep to right field to score Jones and give the 'Cats the 1-0 lead after two innings.
 
Ohio State equalized things with a run of their own on the final batter of the second inning. After starting pitcher Maddy Azua waked a batter, she gave up an RBI single to right center. The Bobcats were able to get the batter out as she attempted to go for two on the play to end the inning, though.
 
Smith tacked on a second RBI in the game in the top of the 4^th when she hit a sac fly to left field that scored Sara Vanderford. Karmyn Bass and Jones scored on the next at-bat when Makayla Hall reached on an error by the Ohio State shortstop. Heading to the 5^th the 'Cats led 4-1.
 
The Bobcats tacked on two more runs in the 6^th thanks to an RBI single from Baker that led to a second run scored by Randolph. The Ohio State defense caught Baker stealing at second for the third out as Randolph tried for home with some aggressive base running, just beating the throw to put the 'Cats up 6-1.
 
Mullins allowed just one hit, a single, in the final two innings to keep the Buckeyes off the board. At the end of seven innings the Bobcats will improve to 11-4 this season with a 6-1 win over Ohio State.