Inclement weather put a damper on the States Up Invitational, but Texas State softball still managed to go 2-2, bringing its overall record to 5-4.
It closed the tournament Sunday with a 9-0 loss to No. 7 Arkansas. Texas State began with a 4-0 win over then-No. 18 Clemson, although the shine from its first top 25 win wore off after a 10-3 loss to Wichita State. The Bobcats’ second victory came in a 10-2 run-rule over BYU, which ended in a walk-off home run by infielder Katarina Zarate.
Here are some takeaways from Texas State’s performances:
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Illness, or an issue?
The Bobcats started left-handed pitcher Madison Azua for three of their four games. Coach Ricci Woodard rested Azua against Wichita State and paid dearly. Texas State’s bullpen — Emma Strood, Analisz Soliz, Kailee Witherell and Abigail Jennings — allowed nine earned runs on 10 hits and four home runs.
Azua pitched a complete game against Clemson and held BYU to two runs in six innings, racking up 14 strikeouts in the process. But a third start against the Razorbacks proved to be too much for the ace, as they chased Azua after collecting four runs and five hits over 2â…“ innings.
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Woodard said after playing BYU that the flu had spread throughout the pitching staff during the week, which may have hampered their performance. But regardless, a second starter has yet to emerge. Strood pitched 6â…“ innings and allowed three runs in a win over Northwestern, but hasn’t pitched more than two innings in her other two starts this season.
The bright spot for Strood is that she had struck out two consecutive batters against Wichita State before being pulled for Soliz, in what seemed like a predetermined move. Her lone “bad” start came when she gave up four runs on four hits against Memphis.
Texas State infielder Aiyana Coleman.
Texas State University
Keely Williams gets on base
Texas State’s lead-off hitter is off to a torrid start to the season. Keely Williams is getting on base in 58.8% of her at-bats, and she leads the starters in on-base plus slugging with a 1.308 mark.
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Williams has nine walks to three strikeouts and has gotten on base in every game except the matchup with Arkansas. Although managing the strike zone is one of the toughest things to do in softball, the senior said she’s keeping it fairly simple at the plate.
“I was trying to really just see ball, hit ball,” Williams said of her two RBI single against BYU.
Out of all the hitters, Zarate and infielder Aiyana Coleman have done the most damage when they’ve made contact with the ball, with five home runs and 17 RBIs between them. But Williams’ consistency has proven to be just as valuable early in the year.
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Mayson Garrett is earning a role
Mayson Garrett’s defense earned her some playing time as a freshman, but she struggled at the plate, recording a batting average of .169. Although she started the season riding the bench, her play at the States Up Invitational might have earned her a spot in the starting nine.
It’s a small sample, but Garrett has shown signs that she might be on the verge of a breakout, with five hits in 11 at-bats and a 1.203 OPS. She recorded a three-run homer against Wichita State and started third for the rest of the weekend, as Kate Bubela shifted to shortstop and Sami Hood to second base.
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Texas State’s lineup against Oklahoma State will be telling. Keep an eye on Coleman, who missed the Bobcats’ game against the Razorbacks.