Softball Run Rules No.13 Northwestern in NCAA Regional

Chandler Hall led Texas State to an 8-0 run-rule victory over No.13 Northwestern in their first game of the NCAA Waco Regional. Tonight’s win is the first run-rule by a Southland team ever and the most runs scored by a Southland team in the tourney. Texas State held the Wildcats to just one hit, to come away with today’s win. Hall earned her ninth shutout of the season to tie for this years’ single-season shutout record.

“I thought we did a really good job today,” said Head Coach Ricci Woodard. “With Chandler on the mound, we always have a chance to win. She threw the ball better tonight then she did in all three games last weekend at the Southland Conference Tournament.”

Northwestern’s Lauren Delaney walked three out of the first five batters to load the bases for the Bobcats. Leadoff hitter Alex Newton was the first batter walked, followed by Jenna Emery and Leah Boatright. With the bases loaded sophomore first baseman McKenzie Baack stepped up to the plate. On a 3-2 count, Baack hit one to the left side to earn a fielder’s choice and an RBI, with Newton scoring at the plate.

Texas State escaped in the bottom of the first allowing zero runs, despite the Wildcats leaving three people on base.

The second inning was more like the first for the Bobcats. Delaney walked both Allyce Rother and Kristina Tello to start the inning. A foul fly to right field by Newton moved Rother to third. Delaney then walked Taylor Halll to fill the bases. With one out already charged to Texas State, Rother attempted to steal home on a passed ball by the catcher, but was called out at the plate on a catcher to pitcher play. Chandler Hall flied out to left field to end the inning.

The Bobcats retired the Wildcats in four in the second with two straight out from Ryan Kos to Baack. Hall walked a batter, before the Bobcats got their third out on a 3-4 play.

Despite leading the third inning off with a walk, the Bobcats were unable to accumulate any hits in the inning.

Northwestern went three-up, three-down in the third to with two put-outs at first and a pop-up to second base.

Things got hot in the fourth inning when Delaney walked Texas State’s first three batters, which set up for a six-run inning for the Bobcats. T. Hall reached first on a fielder’s choice, advancing both Tello and Newton on the play with Rother scoring at the plate on an error by the catcher.

C. Hall was up to bat next reaching first on an error by the catcher. That play set up a Tello score at the plate, while advancing the other two runners, one base a piece. Emery singled to left field, collecting an RBI when Newton crossed the plate. Baack tallied the Bobcats second hit of the inning when she found an opening in left field for an RBI single, advancing T. Hall home.

The Bobcats scored their last two runs when Emery and Baack both reached home on a Wildcat throwing error. Texas State scored six runs in the fourth, off two hits and three Wildcat errors to take a 7-0 lead at the bottom of the fourth.

Baack got Northwestern’s first batter out in the inning on a first base unassisted. C. Hall went on to strike out the next two batters to end the inning.

Going into the seventh inning, the Bobcats started things off with a walk on Tello followed by a Newton single down the left field line. Leah Boatright drove in the Bobcats final run of the game when she hit the ball to left field driving in Tello.

“We didn’t expect a run-rule today, but we did go out there and play our hardest. I thought we did a great job,” said senior shortstop Alex Newton.

Texas State tallied eight runs on four hits, committing zero errors to beat the Wildcats. Chandler Hall earned her 25^th win on the mound as she pitched three strikeouts, allowing just one hit the whole game.

Northwestern’s Lauren Delaney tallied her 11^th loss of the season. Delaney pitched 11 walks in 32 batters faced, which proved costly for the Wildcats.

The Bobcats move on to the winner’s bracket tomorrow as they will play at 1:30pm. They will play the winner of Baylor and Louisiana at Lafayette.