SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball stays home for its penultimate home conference series against Southern Miss. The games are slated for April 17 at 6 pm, April 18 at 2 pm and April 19 at noon. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ with fans able to purchase tickets at txst.com/tickets.

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 907 career wins.

Headed into the weekend, Texas State has a 29-16 record coming off the program's highest ever ranked win against #3 Texas Tech in the midweek. The Bobcats won 3-0 over the Red Raiders in a complete-game shutout effort from Maddy Azua in the circle.

Currently leading the batting order for the Bobcats is Williams who's hitting .393 this season, followed by Harley Vestal at .355. They are two of four Bobcats hitting over .300 this season. In addition to them it is Aiyana Coleman (.333) and Karmyn Bass (.302)

In the circle for the Bobcats is a 1-2 punch from Maddy Azua and Emma Strood. Azua is coming off the midweek win for her 20^th of the season, the junior now having back-to-back 20 win seasons. Strood is coming off a two-win week last week with a save in 17.0 innings that earned her Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week. She had a 0.00 ERA throughout the three appearances. 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 1.93 ERA in 175.1 innings while Strood has a 2.02 in 72.2.
 
ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES:
Southern Miss comes into the week with a 29-17 record on the year, sitting at 10-5 in Sun Belt play. They are coming off a series win at Georgia Southern with two wins, dropping one of the three games.
 
The  Golden Eagles have six batters batting over .3oo this season, led by Hannah Christian at .413. She has 64 hits, 34 runs, and 39 RBI this season. Towards the top of the Golden Eagles order is Carrie Green at .341, Madison Johnson at .341 and Neal McManus at .327.
 
Kayla Giardina leads the bullpen for the Golden Eagles with a 2.38 ERA in 126.2 innings of work. She is followed by Madilyn Graham at a 3.05 in 78.0 innings.

LAST TIME THEY MET
All-time series: Texas State leads 8-1
Last meeting: April 13, 2025 – Texas State won 2-0
All time in San Marcos: Texas State leads 2-0