SAN MARCOS, Texas – Kate Bubela got the Bobcats off to a hot start with a first inning grand slam on Saturday afternoon. That would help the team to a 10-2 run-rule win over Missouri State to sweep the series in the final weekend before Sun Belt play begins.

WHAT HEAD COACH RICCI WOODARD SAID: "It's nice to be able to get some different kids going this weekend. That's what has been a highlight of the weekend for us was being able to play everybody and get us a chance to get our bats going. Our pitchers did a great job. It was just a matter of us finding our groove heading into conference.

WHAT 3B KATE BUBELA SAID ABOUT HER GRAND SLAM: "I was just trying to look for the ball in a good spot and just put my barrel on it and do something for the team. The whole thing is barrel to the ball and that's what I tried to do, and it happened."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Emma Strood started in the circle for the Bobcats, tossing the first 5.0 innings and allowing just one run off two hits in the process. She struck out seven batters in her outing, starting with two in the first inning.

Texas State forced Missouri State into loading the bases, with Erin Peterson reaching on an error and the bases loading on back to back walks for Keely Williams and Aiyana Coleman. Karmyn Bass would single ro right field to score the first run.

From there, it was Bubela to bat. After battling through an at-bat, and surviving a dropped foul fly in the process, Bubela put barrel to the ball to hit the second grand slam in Bobcat Ballpark in as many days. Her home run put the Bobcats up 5-0 with no outs on the board. 

From there, Ciara Trahan would double to left field to keep the inning alive. She scored on a Bailee Slack RBI single to make it a 6-0 game after one inning for the Bobcats.

Strood struck out two more batters in the second, and one more in the third and fourth. A solo home run from the Bears in the 4^thwould get them on the board, though. The Bears took until the 6^th to find another run, making it 6-2.

In the bottom of the 6^th, though, the Bobcats put the game into a run-rule. Starting things off was a Mel Reeves single, followed by a single from Slack. Peterson would reach on a fielders choice as Reeves was thrown out at second.

Emilee Baker would hit an RBI single to make it a 7-2 game. 

After walked Coleman again, Karmyn Bass walked with the bases loaded to make it 8-2. An RBI fielders choice for Bubela made it a 9-2 game after the Bears attempt to throw Baker out at home was unsuccessful. From there, an RBI single from Trahan called game to make it a 10-2 win for the Bobcats.

Texas State is now 15-6 on the season as the team heads into conference play.

Up next:
The Bobcats will stay home for their first conference series beginning March 14 against App State. That series will run March 14-16 with the first game on Friday night starting at 6 pm. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ and fans can purchase tickets at txst.com/tickets.