Texas State's Randi Rupp Throws No-Hitter, Bobcats Split Monday Doubleheader With ULM

MONROE, La. – A no-hitter by freshman pitcher Randi Rupp led the Bobcats to a 9-0 victory in game one of a doubleheader Monday afternoon against UL Monroe before the Bobcats fell in game two by a score of 7-4 in Monroe, La. The Bobcats now move to 19-13 overall and 5-3 in Sun Belt Conference action.

It was Rupp’s first career no-hitter and the first Texas State no-hitter since May 13, 2012 in the Southland Conference Championship game. Rupp finished the game with 11 strikeouts, no walks, and was just a hit by pitch away from a perfect game. The game also marked her seventh shutout of the 2015 season. Rupp improves to 13-8 overall.

Kortney Koroll finished game one with a pair of hits and three RBI and seven total Bobcats recorded a hit in the game.

Texas State got on the board early as Koroll tallied the first hit of the day to score Kelli Baker and Ariel Ortiz with a double down the right field line. Baker got on after a throwing error by the third baseman and Ortiz moved her to second on a fielder’s choice.

The Bobcats added on to that lead in the second inning with help from freshman Sara Rupp. Rupp hit her fourth homer of the year to put Texas State up 3-0 over the Warhawks.

After a scoreless third, Ortiz gave the Bobcats a pair of insurance runs with a two-run shot to left center field in the fourth. Naivar scored on the play after walking in the second at bat of the inning.

ULM got its first base runner of the day on in the bottom of the fourth after getting hit by a pitch, but in the next at bat, Rupp added to her eventful day by throwing out the runner on second. The Warhawks came into the contest third in the nation in stolen bases with 84 on 98 attempts.

Texas State continued to add more in the top of the seventh as the Bobcats strung together a pair of home runs by Koroll and Taylor Webb along with back-to-back doubles by Kendall Wiley and Lexi Fryar to make it a 9-0 Bobcat lead.

The Bobcats finished with four home runs for the first time since the victory against Western Kentucky on April 19, 2014.

In game two, Texas State got on the board early once again with a sacrifice fly by Courtney Harris. Baker led the inning off with a double to right center.

ULM scored its first runs of the day in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Baker fielded what was thought to be a double play ball, but confusion on the infield led to just two outs and the first run on the board. The Warhawks proceeded to score two more to take the first lead of the day over Texas State.

A lead-off single by Harris backed by a double from Koroll got runners on second and third for Texas State in the top of the third. Fryar then stepped up to the plate and scored Harris with a single through the left side to make it a 3-2 ball game in favor of the Warhawks.

A big fourth inning for the Warhawks extended their lead to 7-2, but three hits in the top of the fifth by the Bobcats scored another run, making it a four-run lead for ULM.

Baker launched her fourth home run of the season to cut the ULM lead to three in the top of the sixth, but that would prove to be close as the Bobcats would come to trying to catch up with the Warhawks.

Harris finished the game with three hits while Baker added two. Koroll and Ortiz finished the day with a hits in each game. Kaylee Garner was handed the loss in game two and moves to 3-1 on the year.

Texas State will return home for the next six contests, beginning with a non-conference single game against former Southland Conference foe McNeese State on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Live stats, live video, and live audio will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com.