Bobcat pitcher Anne Marie Taylor was sharp against the No. 3 Longhorns Friday at the NCAA Regional in Austin, but Texas State lost two straight games to see its season come to a close. (Photo Courtesy of Texas State University)
STAFF REPORT
Sophomore pitcher Anne Marie Taylor was solid in the circle Friday night, but the Bobcats were unable to top cross-town foe Texas as it dropped a 2-0 decision in Austin at McCombs Field in the NCAA Austin Regional.
Texas State had a chance to rebound in the double-elimination regional on Saturday, but were eliminated after losing to Louisiana-Lafayette 11-2.
The Bobcats came into the tournament on a high note after winning the Southland Conference Tournament in Huntsville the previous weekend.
“It’s obviously not the way you want to finish the season,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said. “It’s one of those deals when you’re happy to be here, but not happy with the way it ends.”
Against the Longhorns Friday night, Texas took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on what was initially called an illegal pitch, but to the Bobcats ‘dismay Amy Hooks connected for a homerun over the left field wall to take the early edge.
Illegal pitches seemed to be the trend for Taylor as she was signaled for four of them in the first four innings. Taylor continued to battle in the circle, but thanks to incoming bad weather was stopped the game in the top of the fifth with Texas State’s McKenzie Baack facing a 2-2 count.
Baack returned to the plate after the delay to become the first batter for Texas State to reach base after getting hit by a pitch. Jenna Emery came up to bat next and laid down a sacrifice bunt and made it safely to first on a fielder’s choice while Baack advanced to second.
But Baack then was called out at third as Emery stole second. But despite the fact the Bobcats continued to move runners as former Hays star Anna Hernandez recorded Texas State’s first hit of the game with a blooper over the first baseman’s head, they failed to score in the inning.
“When you only get one hit in a ball game it’s going to be hard to win,” Woodard said. “We just couldn’t produce when we needed to.”
Courtney Craig knocked in Taylor Thom to give the Longhorns their second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth after Thom led the inning off with triple.
Against Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas State (33-25) took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when pinch hitter Allison Snow lined the ball down the right side to push Hernandez home, but it was all Ragin’ Cajuns from there as they scored three in the top of the third and put the Bobcats away with a six-run fourth inning.
