SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball made a statement with their bounce back game against the SIU Salukis on Monday afternoon. After a tough loss to Kansas on Sunday night, the Bobcats put up 13 runs and a shutout against the Salukis to improve to 10-3 on the season.

The 13 runs came from 10 different players off 14 hits from nine different batters. Leading the way was Bailee Slack with three hits and two RBI while Karmyn Bass hit her first home run of the year as one of her two hits. She also had four RBI on the day.

WHAT HEAD COACH RICCI WOODARD SAID: "That [game is] what we've been waiting for all year. I think this group just needs experience. If we take it one day at a time, one game at a time, one pitch at a time, we should get better."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Maddy Azua started in the circle for the Bobcats, going 4.0 innings and striking out five batters. She didn't allow any runs and gave up just one hit. Presley Glende would close out the final inning, striking out one batter and allowing one hit as well.

Neither side got on the board in the first inning, but after Azua and the Bobcat defense retired the Salukis in order in the second, the Bobcat offense came alive.

Erin Peterson started things off with a single, followed by two bunt singles from Emilee Baker and Kate Bubela to load the bases. From there, a dropped fly out by the Saluki right fielder would let Emily Fish reach, and score Erin Peterson. After Sydney Harvey singled to score Baker, Aiyana Coleman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Bubela.

Keely Williams would bat in a run on a ground out, making it a 4-0 game.

Slack would tally two RBI in the 2^nd inning as well on her at-bat, making it a 6-0 game.

Closing out the second inning, Bass hit her first home run ofthe season for two runs to make it an 8-0 game. The Salukis got out of the inning off a Bubela fly out and a strikeout by Fish.

Texas State didn't relent in the third, though, adding three more runs. The first two came from an RBI single from Bass that scored Williams and Harvey, who both reached on walks.

The 11^th run came from a Baker single to left field, who scored Slack after she singled to get herself on as well.

Finally, in the bottom of the 4^th, Mayson Garrett hit her first career home run for 2 RBI to make it a 13-0 game.

Glende came in to preserve the shutout in the fifth inning, icing the 13-0 win for the Bobcats.

Texas State is now 10-3 on the season.

Up next:
Texas State will now head on the road for the first time this season as the team heads to a tournament at Texas A&M. The team will face Texas A&M, Princeton, Texas Tech, George Washington and Idaho State over the four-day tournament running Feb. 27 through March 2. The first game will be against the Aggies on Feb. 27 at 4:30 pm.