Rupp strikes out nine in tossing fifirst perfect game
SAN MARCOS—Texas State’s Randi Rupp continued her stellar freshman campaign when she threw the first perfect game of her career Wednesday, leading the Bobcats past outmanned Houston Baptist 12-0 in five innings.
Rupp pitched a no-hitter on March 23 against Louisiana-Monroe but improved on that effort by striking out nine of the 15 batters she faced.
It was the first perfect game by a Texas State pitcher since 2008, when Katie Garnett whitewashed Missouri-Kansas City.
Rupp’s gem was aided as well by the potent Bobcats’ offense, which cranked out 14 hits. Four players recorded multihit games led by Kendall Wiley (3 of 4, two RBIs, three runs) and Kelli Baker (a triple, double and a single).
“I felt relaxed and confident in the circle and I’m very proud and thankful for my defense behind me diving for balls to keep the perfect game going,” Rupp sai d. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and their great performances. Putting runs up on the board in the first inning helps tremendousl y for any pitcher and that’s the support I had.”
The Bobcats ( 25-19, 8-6) hit the road for a three-game series against No. 22 South Alabama this weekend.
Ortiz a finalist for award: Softball shortstop Ariel Ortiz is among the top 25 finalists for the NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Thursday.
The award will be presented prior to the start of the NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Ortiz is second on the team with a .366 batting average and eight home runs. She also has hit a Sun Belt-best 16 doubles.
Track racks up firstplace finishes: Texas State recorded 12 first- place finishes in an impressive showing at the UIW Cardinal Invitational last weekend on the campus of Inc arnate Word.
The women’s performance in the 800-meter run stood out as freshman Esther Oyetunde led the way with a first-place finish, recording a time of 2:49 — a seas on and personal best.
Texas State took four of the top five spots in the race.
On the men’s side, Jordan Huckaby won the shot put and hammer throw and Kole Knutson took first in discus with a season-best throw of 167 feet, 4 ¼ inches.
Former football player Ben Ij ah, in just his second week of competition and making his first triple jump, won the event with a distance of 47-7.