BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball will roll down to San Marcos, Texas to take on Texas State in their first three-game conference series March 18-19 at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.
On Saturday, App State will partake in their first conference test with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. EST and will follow with a single game on Sunday with first pitch slated at 1 p.m. EST.
The Mountaineers (11-9) snatched their eleventh victory of the season, which equals their total number of wins in 2016 after splitting a pair with Presbyterian College on Thursday at Clinton, S.C. App State downed the Blue Hose 4-1 in game one and PC edged out the Mountaineers 4-3 in game two. Three ladies made multiple connections crashing out two or more hits, and Cara Parker recorded her 33rd and 34th home runs of her career in the second half of the two-game series. On the mound, Kenzie Longanecker continued her reign grabbing her seventh win of the season pitching a complete seven-inning game striking out seven batters.
Appalachian looks to start Sun Belt play by snagging three conference victories in Texas.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
• Texas State is currently ranked fourth in the Sun Belt, owns a 17-4 record and recently shut out Houston in their midweek showdown, 7-0.
• In the Bobcats' opening weekend for SBC play, they shutout the Chanticleers 3-0 in the first ballgame and followed with a 5-4 victory edging the new conference foe in eight innings.
• Haleigh Davis has been the most efficient Bobcat at the plate batting a team-high .342 (13-for-38), and Ariel Ortiz has proven to be Texas State's heavy-hitter leading the squad with 21 RBI on 20 hits and slugs .787.
• Ruling the pitcher's mound is Randi Rupp has who has been their ace with a 1.27 ERA in 82.2 innings pitched and leads the conference with 115 strikeouts.
• Infielder Ariel Ortiz had a breakout performance last weekend grabbing Sun Belt Player of the Week and College Sports Madness Sun Belt Softball Player of the Week honors. Ortiz went 7-for-11 (.636) which included two doubles, one triple and two home runs.
• Texas State welcomes eight newcomers to the squad and brings back 12 lettermen and seven starters including two-time Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year Randi Rupp, Preseason All-Sun Belt selection Corrina Liscano and Second Team All-Conference honoree Taylor Webb.
• Rupp earned All-Sun Belt First Team honors along with NFCA Second Team All-Region honors while ranking third in the nation with 334 strikeouts. Before her junior campaign, Rupp owned a 2.16 ERA in 514.1 innings pitched, fired out 11 shutouts and two no-hitters and currently ranks in the top 10 in each of the Bobcats' pitching records. At the end of her sophomore campaign, Rupp participated in the 2017 USA Softball National Team Selection Camp.
• Last year, the Bobcats went 40-22 and 15-9 in Sun Belt play and finished third in the final conference standings. Texas State earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional and slipped to California, 4-3.
• Head Coach Ricci Woodard enters her 17th season at the helm of the Texas State softball program and is assisted by Cat Osterman, Peejay Brun and Megan Coronado. In 2016, the Woodard-led softball squad advanced to the program's first Sun Belt Championship game in just its third season in the conference.
