SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball's bats stayed alive to take the series against Southern Miss, winning 8-1 in the Saturday afternoon affair.

Highlighting the night was Aiyana Coleman who hit her 14^th home run of the season for 3 RBI, just to add another two walks to her name and break the program's single season walk record later in the game. Her second walk of the night was an intentional bases-loaded walk to make it an 8-1 game.

How it Happened:
Emma Strood started in the circle for Texas State, allowing just three hits throughout the game. Despite starting the night with a solo home run, Strood surrendered just two hits and two walks the remainder of the game.

After a slow start that saw three up, three down innings offensively in the first two innings, Sami Hood opened the scoring in the third inning. It was an RBI ground out to score Kate Bubela who had single and advanced on an error.

From there, the Bobcats scored in each of the final three innings of the game, beginning with a four-run inning in the fourth. It all started with a lead off free pass for Sydney Harvey on five pitches. From there, Harley Vestal was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Coleman then homered to right field to make it a 4-1 ball game. Hood added the final run of the inning on an RBI single.

The run in the sixth inning came from a bases loaded walk of Kate Bubela. She scored Harvey who had again reached on a lead off free pass. Previously in the inning, Coleman had also been walked which was the walk that was the 48^th of the season to break the single-season record.

Keely Williams hit her fourth home run of the season to score run No. 7 of the night, hitting off the video board in right field. From there, Harvey was walked again, Vestal singled to the shortstop and Bass was walked to load the bases. Southern Miss chose to intentionally walk Coleman to allowed Texas State to score another run.

Strood came in in the 7^th to close the game out, allowing one runner on from a hit by pitch. Ultimately, a 463 double play called game and preserved the 8-1 win for Texas State.

After today's 8-1-win, Texas State is now 31-16 on the season and improve to 11-6 in Sun Belt play.

Up next:
Texas State will close the series with Southern Miss tomorrow, April 19^th at 12 pm. The team will then stay home for a midweek game with Baylor on April 22^nd at 6 pm. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+ or fans can buy tickets at txst.com/tickets.