Box Score HATTIESBURG, Mississippi – Texas State softball had three home runs to propel itself to a series win over Southern Miss on Sunday afternoon. The 4-3 come-from-behind win gave the Bobcats its 39^th win of the season.
 
The first home run was off the bat of Sara Vanderford, which was her 40^th of her career. She is now the lone record holder for career home runs in Texas State history, passing Ariel Ortiz who had 39 in her career.
 
The other home runs came off the bat of JJ Smith, her 9^th of the year, and Piper Randolph, her 5th of the year.
 
Jessica Mullins and Maddy Azua split time in the circle, with Azua getting the 8^th win of her career today.

How it Happened
Both sides were retired in order in the first inning, but the Bobcats were able to get runners on in the second. Anna Jones started off inning two with a walk, followed by JJ Smith reaching on a fielder's choice. Kat Zarate was hit a pitch, but a Makayla Hall ground out stranded the runners on base. Mullins retired three batters in the 2^nd as well.
 
In the third, though, Southern Miss took a lead. Hannah Borden hit a three-run homer off Mullins after she gave up two singles to give the Golden Eagles a lead. After three the home side held a lead. Maddy Azua faced one batter in the 3rd. 
 
That lead didn't last long, though, when Sara Vanderford hit her 40^th career home run from the lead off spot. She hit her second home run of the weekend for the one run to get the Bobcats on the board. From there, Piper Randolph got on base from a single. Following that up, JJ Smith hit her 9^th home run of the season for two runs to equalize the game.

Both sides were retired in order in the top of the 5^th, but the Bobcats came out punching in the 6^th. Piper Randolph hit her 5th home run of the season as the second batter up for the Bobcats, giving Texas State a 4-3 lead in the 6^th.

The Golden Eagles found two hits in the bottom of the inning, but a fly out caught by Anna Jones for the third out kept the Bobcats ahead by the run heading into the final inning.

Texas State didn't find any more runs in the top half of the inning, but clutch defense kept the Bobcats lead intact as they retired the side in order to preserve the 4-3 lead.

Texas State is now 39-13 on the season with a 15-6 conference record play. 

The Bobcats will return to action on Thursday, May 2 in its final home series of the 2024 regular season against the Marshall Thundering Herd. The first game will be at 6 pm, followed by 6 pm on May 3, and noon on My 4. The whole series will be streamed on ESPN+.