COLLEGE STATION, Texas. – Taylor Webb lofted a walk-off double into the right field corner to score Christiana McDowell and lift Texas State to a 2-1, 12-inning win over Texas in the opening game of the 2017 NCAA College Station Regional.
 
McDowell reached in the 12th on a one-out single to right center and moved to third as Ariel Ortiz drew a two-out walk, setting the stage for Webb's heroics.
 
Randi Rupp started and pitched all 12 innings to earn the win and improve to 28-9 on the season. The junior threw 164 pitches with 101 crossing the plate for strikes. She struck out eight of the 49 batters she faced and scattered nine hits.
 
The win improves TXST to 42-15 on the season and advances the Bobcats into the Saturday's winners' bracket game against top-seeded Texas A&M. Moreover, the win, which was the first over UT in NCAA postseason play, marks the Bobcats' first 1-0 start to Regional play since defeating Northwestern to open the 2009 Waco Regional.
 
Texas State finished with eight base hits in the contest and Texas nine. McDowell and Ortiz each had two hits for the Bobcats, while Devon Tunning and Kelli Hanzel also knocked two base hits for the Longhorns.
 
After stranding two runners on base in the first inning, Texas State took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the second as Corrina Liscano homered to left center. The homer was Liscano's third of the season, moving the Bobcats season total to 46 and into sole possession of third on the TXST single-season list.
 
Texas knotted the game 1-1 in the fourth as Hanzel roped a RBI double off the wall in left center. The hit scored Taylor Ellsworth, who reached base on a single down the left-field line, from second.
 
Texas put runners on second and third with no one out in the fifth, but came away empty handed as Rupp and the Bobcat defense held firm. Kaitlyn Washington led off the frame with a double and moved to third on Stephanie Wong's single through the left side. Rupp then induced a Tunning ground out to short before catching Jade Gortarez looking at strike three. Rupp escaped the inning on the next pitch as Celina Felix lined out to the glove of Kimberlin Naivar in left.
 
After neither team put a runner on base in the sixth inning, Texas drew a pair of two-out, four-pitch walks in the seventh before Rupp slammed the door on the threat with a strikeout of Gortarez – her sixth strikeout of the contest and 318th of the season.
 
Texas State threatened in the seventh as Jaelyn Young singled to lead off the inning and pinch runner Jaclyn Molenaar was sac bunted to second by Liscano. However, Molenaar would be stranded 120 feet away as UT's Tiarra Davis got out of the inning with a strikeout and fly ball to center.
 
Ortiz led off the ninth with a single that dropped in just beyond the glove of UT's shortstop. Webb then walked and Jaelyn Young executed a textbook sac bunt to move the runners up to second and third. Liscano drew an intentional walk to load the bases, but the opportunity was squandered as Kennedy Cline hit into a double play to end the frame.
 
Texas State loaded the bases in the 11th, but came away empty as Davis got Sara Rupp to hit a slow roller to third to end the inning. UT then advanced a runner to third with two down in the top of the 12th; however, Rupp got Ellsworth to fly out to right on the first pitch she saw to end the threat.
 
Texas' Brooke Bolinger suffered the loss, allowing Webb's double and walking Ortiz without recording an out. Davis worked the first 11.2 inning and threw a career-high 184 pitches in the no decision.
 

UP NEXT
Texas State will play top-seeded Texas A&M in an winners' bracket game at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20.

FOLLOW THE BOBCATS
For all of the latest news and information on Bobcat softball, visit TXSTATEBOBCATS.com. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/TXStateSoftball along on Twitter (@TXStateSoftball) and Instagram (@TXStateSoftball).

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RAGIN' CAJUNS SOFTBALL: Stewart's No-Hitter Highlights Day One in Baton Rouge Regional

BATON ROUGE – Alex Stewart pitched the third NCAA postseason no-hitter in Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball history in a 6-0 win over McNeese on Friday at Tiger Park in the opening round of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
 
With the win, No. 14 Louisiana (46-6) advanced to the 12 p.m. winner’s bracket final contest on Saturday to face the LSU-Fairfield winner.
 
Stewart (26-3, 1.57 ERA), who pitched shutout softball for the seventh time in the past eight starts, retired the Cowgirls in order four times and struck out six in collecting her first career no-hitter. She joins Cheryl Longeway (1995 vs. Michigan at WCWS) and Brooke Mitchell (2003 vs. San Diego State at Cal State Fullerton Regional) in achieving the feat in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns outfielders made three critical catches to help Stewart secure the no-hitter. Aleah Craighton robbed Morgan Catron of a would-be home run in the second inning, then in the sixth inning Kelli Martinez and Haley Hayden made diving catches on shallow fly balls.
 
“That no-hitter is a credit to my teammates,” Stewart said postgame reflecting on the performance. “They took away hits with fantastic Top 10 plays. I just can’t say enough about my defense.”
 
It was a scoreless, hitless affair between the Ragin' Cajuns and Cowgirls through the first 3-1/2 innings of play. Craighton recorded the game's first hit with a single to lead off the bottom of the 4th and the tie was broken three batters later when Corin Voinchè doubled down the left field line for a 2-0 lead.
 
“First round games are always a war,” Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Michael Lotief said. “I’m proud of my kids and proud of the way they competed. Alex battled, gutted it out and her teammates played well behind her.
 
Louisiana was able to create breathing room for Stewart in the fifth inning. Hayden singled into right field where the ball was misplayed, the Cowgirls second error of the frame, allowing Kara Gremillion (fielder’s choice) and DJ Sanders (fielding error) to cross home plate and extend the lead to 4-0.
 
Hayden later scored in the fifth on a Lexie Comeaux ground out and Martinez scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning to complete the scoring.
 
Stewart worked around a leadoff hit by pitch and two-out walk in the seventh to preserve the shutout and etch her name in the Ragin’ Cajuns history book.
 
DIAMOND NOTES
- Louisiana began its 19th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Softball Tournament and 27th overall in the past 28 years.
- The Ragin’ Cajuns and Cowgirls met in the NCAA Softball Tournament for the first time since the 1994 NCAA Lafayette Regional. 
- Louisiana won its opening contest in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season. The program improved to 60-32 in the regional round which includes a 26-5 mark dating back to 2008.
- Louisiana’s all-time NCAA Softball Tournament record improved to 72-55.
- Alex Stewart extended her personal winning streak to 19 games. She’s been undefeated in the circle since falling on March 9 vs. Baylor at Lamson Park.
- Louisiana extended its winning streak to 14 games and h now won 29 of the past 30 games since last losing a game of regulation length on March 9 vs. Baylor.