MOBILE, Alabama– Texas State softball heads on the road for a three-game series at South Alabama this weekend.
The series begins Thursday, April 2 at 6 pm with the weekend schedule starting earlier due to Easter on Sunday. The teams will play April 3 at 6 pm and April 4 at noon. All three will be streamed on ESPN+.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS:
Texas State is coming off a 34-19 campaign which included a Sun Belt Conference Regular Season Championship and were named Preseason Favorites in the Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll. Texas State returns 96.8% of its innings pitched and 75.5% of its at-bats from the 2025, championship winning season.
Texas State returns 16 players from last year's team, including pitchers Maddy Azua,
Emma Strood,
Analisa Soliz and
Abigail Jennings as well as field players
Megan Kelnar,
Karmyn Bass,
Sydney Harvey,
Keely Williams,
Aiyana Coleman,
Kate Bubela,
Kat Zarate,
Bailee Slack, Mel Reeves,
Abby Garza,
Emily Fishand
Mayson Garrett.
Head coach
Ricci Woodard is in her 26th season at the helm of Texas State softball. In her tenure, Woodard has 14 conference championships and 11 NCAA Regional appearances and enters the weekend with 900 career wins.
Headed into the week, Texas State has a 22-15 record coming off a 8-1 win at UTSA that was head coach
Ricci Woodards' 900
th of her the career.
Currently leading the batting order for the Bobcats is Williams who's hitting .404 this season, followed by Bass at .327. They are two of five Bobcats hitting over .300 this season. In addition to them it is
Aiyana Coleman (.325), Harley Vestal (.316) and Kate Bubela (.311).
In the circle for the Bobcats is a 1-2 punch from Maddy Azua and
Emma Strood. The pair boast two of the top ERAs in the Sun Belt, with Maddy Azua being a top-5 strikeout pitcher in the nation. Azua has a 1.95 ERA in 143.1 innings while Strood has a 2.83 in 52.0.
ABOUT THE JAGUARS:
South Alabama comes into the week with a 23-15 record and are 7-2 this season. Most recently, they are coming off a three-game series against James Madison that they swept all three games of.
The Jaguars have five batters batting over .300 this season, led by Virginia Mambelli at .365. She has 27 hits, 10 runs, four home runs and 22 RBI this season. The top of the order is filled out by Presley Lively (.312) and Kara Wine (.306).
Ryley Harrison leads the bullpen for the Jaguars with a 2.28 ERA in 119.2 innings of work. Sydney Scapin follows her with a 3.32 in 59.0 innings.
LAST TIME THEY MET
All-time series: Texas State leads 23-10
Last meeting: April 6, 2025 – Texas State won 4-0
All time in Mobile: Texas State leads 10-4
