
Troy comes into conference play off a high-scoring weekend. 250 batting average, having seven runs, eight walks and 18 hits in 27 games this season. Since joining the Bobcats, Smith has slid right in at starting first basemen and had a.
TROY TEXAS BOMBSQUAD SOFTBALL TEAM SERIES
Smith played two seasons for Texas where she was voted to the Big-12 All-Freshman team in her first year and helped UT finish second in the College World Series her sophomore year. In addition to the freshmen, Woodard went to the transfer portal just one time headed into this season and got former Longhorn JJ Smith.

Emilee Baker has joined primarily as a pinch runner/hitter with 15 appearances. Joining her are catchers Karmyn Bass who has 19 appearances at catcher, and Megan Kelnar who has 11 starts on 13 appearances at catcher so far. Zarate has started in all 27 of the Bobcats games since joining the squad. The eight freshmen include now-mainstay in the starting lineup Katarina Zarate. Head Coach Ricci Woodard brought in nine new members to this years squad, one transfer and eight freshman. 341 batting average in 267 at bats, good for second on the all-time list. Sophomore Ciara Trahan has made her way into the record books with a.

Hannah Earls has made her way into the record book with 53 stolen bases, good to be tied for 3rd on the all-time list. The senior is third in career batting average (.325), tied for 4th in career doubles (43), 4th in career home runs (25), and 6th in career RBI (115). In addition to Mullins, third baseman Sara Vanderford is also climbing the Texas State career lists. In Texas State's 3-1 win over Alabama on March 11, Mullins made her 100 thcareer appearance for the Bobcats, just one of three active members on the team with 100+ appearances. So far as a Bobcat Mullins has been named Sunbelt Pitcher of the Week six times. Mullins was named the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Awards pick for Pitcher of the Year. Mullins is three complete games away from breaking into the top 10 with 39. In her junior year, pitcher Jessica Mullins has entered Texas State's all-time top-10 in several career categories. Others: Patty Gasso (Oklahoma), Jana McGinnis (Jacksonville State), Holly Hesse (Missouri State), Fran Troyan (Lehigh), Mary Ellen-Hall (Houston Christian), Jane Worthington (Eastern Kentucky), Deanna Gumpf (Notre Dame), Patti Gerckens (UC San Diego), Brian Kolze (Pacific), Chris Cannata (Albany), Gordon Eakin (BYU) and Lisa Costello (Towson). Among the top-30 NCAA Division I head coaches in terms of career wins, Woodard is one of only 13 coaches to accumulate their wins at one school. Woodard is 28th among active Division I coaches in career wins, and she has a shot this season to join the group of 26 active Division I head coaches with 800 career wins. With 12 conference championships and 9 NCAA Regional appearances, Woodard enters the season with 762 career wins.

Head coach Ricci Woodard will enter her 23rd season at the helm of Texas State softball.

Texas State returns 98 percent of its innings pitched from last season. In the circle, the Bobcats return Mullins, Karsen Pierce (26 appearances, 13 starts), Presley Glende (17 appearances, 3 starts) and Tori McCann (7 appearances, 2 starts). Offensively, the Bobcats return 61 percent of their RBI from last year (146 out of 238). The Bobcats also return position players Claire Ginder, who played in all but one game last year, Anna Jones (52 games) and Piper Randolph (43 games). The Bobcats returns 12 players (11 letterwinners) from last year's team, including former All-Sun Belt players Jessica Mullins(pitcher), Sara Vanderford (third base), Ciara Trahan (outfield) and Hannah Earls (shortstop). The Bobcats have finished in the conference's top three in the standings for three straight years, but the league has grown this year with three new teams: James Madison, Marshall, and Southern Miss. Texas State, which is coming off a 38-win campaign and narrowly missing an NCAA Regional as an at-large bid, was picked second in the Sun Belt coaches preseason poll. The Bobcats begin conference play with an 18-9 record and ranked No. The first game will be March 17 th at 5 p.m. SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball will open it's 2023 conference play slate with a road series at Troy.
