TROY, Ala., – Texas State softball completed its final Sun Belt trip to Troy with a 2-1 win to sweep the series on Sunday afternoon.

The low scoring affair was helped by a split effort between Maddy Azua and Emma Strood in the circle. The pair allowed seven hits and just the one run off Azua to quiet the Sun Belt's highest averaging offense, striking out eight batters in the process.

How It Happened:
Harley Vestal was the Bobcats lone base runner in the first inning, getting walked to reach. She was left stranded on base though. Maddy Azua started in the circle, allowing two singles and a walk in the first inning to load the bases. Despite that, though, she bounced back and got two strikeouts and a ground out to escape the inning unscathed.

Neither side added a run in the second, with Azua retiring the Trojans in order. Sami Hood led off the third inning, though, with a solo home run to left field, her third of the season.

Troy responded in the bottom half of the third with a run of its own, scoring on an RBI single after a pair of singles got runners on for the Trojans. Texas State responded, though, with a run scoring on a wild pitch in the fourth.

Texas State didn't add any runs in the top half of the 5^th, and Emma Strood came in to pitch in the bottom half. She'd surrender a hit, but also get a strikeout in the scoreless frame. 

Texas State was unable to add any more runs to its tally, but a three up, three down 6^th inning from Strood helped Texas State carry the momentum it needed into the final inning. 

Strood allowed a single in the 7^th, but struck out the next batter she faced to end the game. Strood tallied four strikeouts in three innings to combine with Azua's four in four in the 2-1 win.

After today's win, Texas State is now 28-16 on the season and improve to 9-6 in Sun Belt play.

Up Next:
Texas State will return home for a four-game home stand beginning April 15 at 6 pm against #1 Texas Tech. The team will then stay home for the weekend series against Southern Miss from April 17-19. All four games will be streamed on ESPN+.