Texas State Wins 2009 Southland Softball Championship
Lake Charles, La. ? The Texas State Bobcats pulled out a 2-1 win over McNeese State to earn the 2009 Southland Conference Tournament title and the automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. The Bobcats went 3-0 to close out the tournament as the only undefeated team in the race. They win their first tournament title since 2001, making this Head Coach Ricci Woodard’s second trip to the regionals and Texas State’s fourth overall. With a 39-16 record the Bobcats will find out who they fill face in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow at 9:00pm CT on ESPNU when the bracket for the NCAA Regionals is announced.
Five Bobcats were named to the 2009 SLC All-Tournament team including Taylor Hall, Leah Boatright, Ryan Kos, Allyce Rother and Most Valuable Player Chandler Hall.
McNeese State’s Lindsey Langner hit a lead-off homerun to right field in the top of the first to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead to start the game.
In the bottom of the third McNeese State saw the bases loaded with two outs after a walk and two errors by the Texas State defense. The Bobcats escaped the inning, allowing zero runs after Chandler Hall caught Molly Guidry swinging for her fifth strikeout of the inning.
There were no hits recorded from the second to the top of the seventh.
With one out in the top of the seventh Leah Boatright hit a solo home run over the left field wall to tie the game at 1-1. Boatright’s first hit of the game came at a much needed time for the Bobcats to bring them back into the game.
Senior second baseman Ryan Kos stepped up to the plate with two outs, to hit her second home run of the tournament deep over the right center wall to give Texas State the 2-1 lead and the game winning run.
Entering the seventh inning the Bobcats had zero hits, to McNeese State’s one. With momentum carrying the Bobcats they recorded three hits and two runs to pass the Cowgirls.
Texas State finished the game with two runs, on three hits. Chandler Hall pitched her third complete game of the tournament. She gave up just two runs in 21 innings of play on the mound. Rother batted .500 and slugged 1.375 to wrap up her tournament run.
2009 Southland Conference All-Tournament Team
Amber Anderson - UTSA
Morgan Mikulin ? Sam Houston State
Hailey Wiginton ? Sam Houston State
Bethany Stefinsky ? McNeese State
Lindsey Langner ? McNeese State
Liz Morvant ? McNeese State
Leah Boatright ? Texas State
Ryan Kos ? Texas State
Taylor Hall ? Texas State
Allyce Rother ? Texas State
MVP - Chandler Hall ? Texas State