SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball capitalized off error-plagued defense from the App State Mountaineers to win 6-0 on Friday night. The Mountaineers tallied six errors in game, helping the 'Cats to a 6-0 win.
 
The Bobcats capitalized on errors for most their runs, with just one earned run on the night, coming from a bases-loaded walk that gave the Bobcats their first run of the game. From there, the rest of the runs were on errors by the Mountaineer's infielders.
 
Jessica Mullins tossed the complete game shutout, allowing just two hits and walking one batter in an efficient night of work. The pitcher tossed just 75 pitches in the 57^th complete game and 18^th shutout of her career. She struck out six batters on the night.

The Bobcats return to play tomorrow, Saturday, March 23 against App State in the second game of a three-game series. The game will start at 2 pm inside Bobcat Softball Stadium and can be streamed on ESPN+.
 
What Head Coach Ricci Woodard said: "We definitely have to do a better job than what we just did if we're going to win this thing down the stretch. But coming off a big win like Wednesday night, I knew this game was going to be hard. We did enough to pull out a win which is what I like about this group, is they're going to find a way to win."

How it Happened
Jessica Mullins started in the circle for the Bobcats, giving up a single in the top of the inning. The next at bat, though, the Bobcats turned the double play to get two outs. Mullins struck out the next batter for the final out, her first of six strikeouts in this game.


Mullins retired the next six batters while the Bobcats struggled to find hits. Headed to the fourth inning it was a 0-0 ball game, with Mullins keeping the Bobcats in things with strong pitching.
 
App State's Kayt Houston got the second and final hit for the Mountaineers in the 4^th, but two ground outs and another strikeout would end the inning. Mullins would go on to toss the complete game, with her 18^th shutout of her career. She has four complete game shutouts this season,
 
Texas State was able to find a run in the 4^th, thanks to a bases-loaded walk. JJ Smith singled up the middle to start, then Katarina Zarate got on from an error, advancing Smith. Baker and Earls were walked to load the bases and score the first run of the game.
 
Mullins retired three straight batters from there, bringing the Bobcats back to bat. From there, a bunt single from Piper Randolph got the ball rolling for the Bobcats. Sara Vanderford reached on an error and the pair advanced a base on a sac bunt from Karmyn Bass.
 
Zarate would go on to single for two RBI, sending Vanderford and Randolph home. In the 5^th the Bobcats led 3-0.
 
More errors plagued the Mountaineers in the 6^th as the Bobcats found three more runs. Sydney Harvey started things off reaching on an error, she'd advance to second on a Hannah Earls bunt. They'd both steal a base on Ciara Trahan's at bat. 
 
Randolph put the ball in play and forced a Mountaineer error that scored on run.
 
Vanderford was hit by a hit to get on base, and Bass followed it up by reaching on an error by the App State second baseman. Randolph advanced and Earls scored on the play.
 
The final run of the night came from Smith, who reached on a fielder's choice as the Mountaineers forced an out at third, but Randolph still went on to score, making it a 6-0 ball game. 
 
Mullins capped off the night with two groundouts and a sixth and final strikeout to end the game.