SAN MARCOS, Texas – Tarleton State Softball opened play at the San Marcos Showdown in impressive fashion on Thursday, earning a pair of wins at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The Texans delivered an 11-0 run-rule victory over Saint Francis before picking up a key win over tournament host Texas State later in the day.
With the two victories, Tarleton State improved to 16-7 overall and 2-0 in the tournament.
Tarleton State 11, Saint Francis 0 (5)
The Texans wasted no time getting on the board, plating three runs in the top of the first inning. Hayden Fox led off with a single before Jaelynn Duke doubled to center field to bring home the game's first run. Casey Schultz followed with a single to left that scored two more, giving Tarleton State an early 3-0 lead.
The Purple and White added another run in the third inning. After Schultz drew a walk and Isabella Bojkovic singled to put two on, Addison Wittram delivered an RBI single through the right side to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Texans broke the game open in the fourth inning with three more runs. Mariah Debose, pinch running for Mikayla Wilson, advanced into scoring position before Madison Runyan drove in two runs with a single to right field. Bojkovic then followed with an RBI double to push the advantage to 7-0.
Tarleton State continued its offensive surge in the fifth inning with four additional runs. Duke started the rally with a two-run double down the left field line before Schultz added an RBI double of her own. Runyan capped the scoring with another RBI double to right-center, extending the lead to 11-0.
In the circle, Shelby Schultz earned the win after tossing four shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three. Taylor McKean closed out the game in the fifth inning with three strikeouts to secure the run-rule victory.
The Texans finished with 13 hits in the contest, led by Duke, Schultz, and Runyan with multiple hits each. Duke drove in three runs, while Schultz and Runyan also recorded three RBI apiece.
Tarleton State 6, Texas State 5
Texas State jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second inning. A solo home run from Aiyana Coleman opened the scoring before the Bobcats strung together several hits to plate four runs and take a 4-0 advantage.
The Bobcats added another run in the third inning when Megan Kelnar singled through the infield to drive in a run, extending the lead to 5-0.
Tarleton State sparked its comeback in the sixth inning.
With two outs, Jaelynn Duke singled down the left field line before Braylin Pannill followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Isabella Bojkovic then delivered a clutch single up the middle, driving in two runs to cut the deficit to 5-2.
After Casey Schultz drew a walk to load the bases, Scarlett Poore delivered the biggest swing of the game. Pinch-hitting for the Texans, Poore launched a grand slam to left-center field — the first collegiate home run of her career — giving the Purple and White its first lead of the game at 6-5.
Texas State threatened in the bottom of the sixth, putting runners on base, but Shelby Schultz entered in relief and worked out of the jam to preserve the lead. Schultz then retired the Bobcats in order in the seventh to secure the victory.
Abigail Dowell earned the win in relief, tossing 3.1 innings while allowing one run. Schultz recorded the final six outs to earn the save.
Poore led the Texans offensively with four RBI on the grand slam, while Bojkovic added two RBI. The Texans finished with seven hits in the victory.
Tarleton State will continue play on Friday with back-to-back games against No. 15 Texas A&M (11 a.m.) and Texas State (1:30 p.m.).
