SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball was selected to the College Station Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Their run will start on Friday, May 17 at 3 pm versus the Penn State Nittany Lions.
 
The Texas A&M Aggies are the host of the regional and will play UAlbany in the opening round. From there, the double-elimination style tournament will be played through Sunday, May 19, so determine a regional winner.
 
Texas State's opening round game will be streamed on ESPNU.
 
ABOUT THE BOBCATS:
Texas State comes into the postseason with a 45-13 (18-6 SBC) record after winning the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The team won its second Sun Belt title over Louisiana with a 9-5 win. Texas State enters the regional on an eight-game win streak.
 
Leading the offense for the Bobcats going into the week is Hannah Earls who's batting .366. She has 74 hits, 37 runs and 12 RBI in 202 at-bats. Sara Vanderford is also helping the Bobcat offense with a .360 batting averaging as she's good for 62 hits, 43 runs and 48 RBI in 172 at-bats. Rounding out the top of the order are Anna Jones batting .319 and Emilee Baker batting .318.

Jessica Mullins been the Bobcats ace pitcher this season with her 1.31 ERA. She has pitched 229.1 innings this season with 213 strikeouts, allowing 43 earned runs, 48 walked batters and just 31 extra-base hits allowed. She has tossed 17 complete games including one perfect game. She also has three saves on the season.
 
The Bobcats have two nationally recognized players on its roster, third basemen Sara Vanderford and pitcher Jessica Mullins. Vanderford was tabbed as the 10^th best 3B player in the nation by Softball America. Mullins was named the #5 pitcher in the nation by them as well.

THE REGIONAL FIELD:
Texas State will open its regional against an already familiar foe this season, Penn State. The Bobcats played Penn State in a three-game series earlier this season where the team went 3-0 with 5-2, 2-1 and 6-0 wins. The Bobcats have a 3-2 record all-time against Penn State.
 
Also in the regional is hosts Texas A&M, who the Bobcats have already beaten once this season. Texas State beat the Aggies 403 back on March 20 in their lone meeting this year. Texas State has a 12-69 record all-time against the Aggies.
 
The fourth and final team in the College Station regional is UAlbany, who the Bobcats have never faced in program history. 
 
HISTORY IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT:
In 2023, the Bobcats were named to the Austin regional where they were joined by Texas, Texas A&M and Seton Hall. Texas State lost to Texas A&M twice to bow out of the regional, but recorded a win over Seton Hall.
 
The Bobcats are 12-22 all-time in the NCAA tournament throughout their now 12 times going. Texas State has never advanced to a Super Regional, but came their closest in 2003 where they lost to Texas in the final day of the regional. 
 
This is the third time the Bobcats have gone to College Station for a regional in program history. They have a 2-4 record all-time in College Station with wins over Texas and Bethune-Cookman.
 
UP NEXT:
With a regional win, the Bobcats would advance to Super Regionals for the first time in program history. The Super Regionals would take place May 23-26.