HATTIESBURG, Mississippi –  Texas State softball was able to pull out a 2-1 win over Southern Miss thanks to pitching performances from Maddy Azua and Jessica Mullins. Azua tossed 4.1 innings allowing just one earned run while Mullins came in relief and got three game-ending strikeouts to seal the 2-1 win.
 
The runs came from Kat Zarate and Sydney Harvey who scored on RBI singles from Sara Vanderford and Hannah Earls.

How it Happened

The Bobcats bats started out alive with three-straight singles from Hannah Earls, Emilee Baker and Sara Vanderford at the top of the order. The Southern Miss defense would get Earls out at home on Anna Jones' at-bat, though, and a JJ Smith fly out followed by a Piper Randolph ground out stranded three runners.

Maddy Azua started in the circle for the Bobcats, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing just one run. She'd strike out one in the bottom half of the inning and keep the Golden Eagles off the scoresheet.

In the second inning, the Bobcats were retired in order. Southern Miss had two hits put the Bobcat defense kept things scoreless. 

In the third the Bobcats were able to put up two more runs, but when Jones was caught stealing, they'd strand runners on base once again. In the bottom half of the inning the Bobcats were able to turn a double-play and Azua struck out a batter to keep the game scoreless.

The Bobcats were retired in order in the 4^th, USM put up one double from their second batter of the inning but stranded the runner after two pop-ups.

In the top half of the 5^th inning, the Bobcats finally broke the deadlock. After Sydney Harvey singled to the pitcher, she'd advance to second on Earls ground out. After Baker singled to left, Harvey took third base. Sara Vanderford hit an RBI single to score the Harvey. Jones was walked but the three runners would be stranded after a Smith ground out.

The bottom half of the inning was equally eventful when the Golden Eagles started off with three-straight hits. On the third hit, though. Karmyn Bass made a play at home to get a runner out on the play. The Golden Eagles equalized the game on Jana Lee's double, but Bass's play stopped them from taking the lead. Jessica Mullins came in to close the bottom of the inning.

To escape the inning all level, the Bobcats turned a second double play. After Bass and Vanderford worked to run down the runner coming home and getting an out there, Vanderford turned on a dime to make the throw to Kat Zarate at second, who was able to get the runner at second out.

In the 6^th inning, the Bobcats were did work with two outs after starting off with two strikeouts. From there, Zarate and Harvey were walked. Earls would score Zarate on a single through the left side, advancing to second on the throw. The Bobcats would leave the inning with a one-run lead after Baker was out on her at-bat.

Southern Miss got a hit and forced a Bobcat error in the bottom of the 6^th, but were unable to tally a run. Heading to the 7^th the Bobcats held their 2-1 lead.

The Bobcats went down in order in the top half of the inning. The home side got a single and a bunt to start off the inning, but Mullins struck out Jana Lee to get her first out of the inning and struck out the final two batters for three-straight to end the inning and keep the Bobcats win in tact.

The Bobcats are now 38-13 on the season and 14-6 in conference play. The Bobcats will return to play tomorrow for the series finale at 12 pm in Hattiesburg. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.