SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball will play its final non-conference game of the 2026 regular season on Wednesday, hosting Baylor in Bobcat Softball Stadium at 6 pm.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and fans can 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 909 career wins.
Headed into the weekend, Texas State has a 31-17 record coming off a 2-1 weekend against Southern Miss.
Currently leading the batting order for the Bobcats is Williams who's hitting .397 this season, followed by
Harley Vestal at .346. They are two of three Bobcats hitting over .300 this season. In addition to them it is
Aiyana Coleman (.343) and Kate Bubela is just shy of .300 at .298.
In the circle for the Bobcats is a 1-2 punch from Maddy Azua and
Emma Strood. Azua is coming off a two-win week to make her 21-10 on the season, the junior now having back-to-back 20 win seasons. Strood is coming off a win last week against Southern Miss. 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 1.89 ERA in 189.1 innings while Strood has a 1.93 in 79.2.
ABOUT THE BEARS:
Baylor comes into the week with a 26-20 record on the year, sitting at 9-9 in Big 12 play. They are coming off a series win vs Utah with two wins, dropping one of the three games.
The Bears have four batters batting over .300 this season, led by Karynton Dawson at .372. She has 35 hits, 26 runs, and 24 RBI this season. Towards the top of the Bears order is Amber Toven at .356, Brooklyn Carer at .341 and Faith Piper at .319.
Peyton Tanner leads the bullpen for the Baylor Bears with a 3.71 ERA in 94.1 innings of work. She is followed by Cambree Creager at a 4.16 in 107.2 innings.
LAST TIME THEY MET
All-time series: Texas State trails 20-44
Last meeting: April 22, 2025 – Texas State lost 6-0
All time in San Marcos: Texas State trails 9-16
