STAFF REPORT
LAKE CHARLES, LA – Some teams come to the end of their season playing out the string, and some come to the end having won so often that they’re just trying to stay sharp.
Count the Texas State softball team in the second group. The Bobcats finished their regular season Sunday with a 4-1 win at McNeese State, having clinched the top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament a week earlier.
Bobcat pitcher Ragan Blake ran her record up to 20-10 by striking out nine on her way to a complete game win. Blake faced just one batter over the minimum through five innings.
At 35-17 for the season and 25-5 in the SLC, the Bobcats have been close to unbeatable in the league. However, they only split their doubleheader Saturday against McNeese State, so Coach Ricci Woodard wanted to put them back on the right track.
“We talked about putting ourselves in a better position for the conference tournament,” Woodard said. “Ragan (Blake) pitched well, we did a good job today of staying focused, and it showed.”
Ashton Peters went three-for-three, scoring the game’s first run in the first inning on a triple by Kristina Tello. Peters led off the sixth with a double to start a three-run inning. Jill Kloesel, Alex Newton and McKenzie Baack hit RBI singles during the inning.
Texas State will return to San Marcos this weekend for the SLC Tournament Thursday through Saturday. The pairings are to be announced Monday, though the Bobcats, as the top seed, are assured of opening in a semifinal game Friday at 6:30 p.m.
