SAN MARCOS, Texas – The ULM softball team (16-12) is back on the road for the first Sun Belt series of 2026, taking on the Texas State Bobcats (15-8) beginning on Friday (March 13). First pitch on Friday will be at 6 p.m., being a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and a noon start on Sunday. Streaming for the games will be on ESPN+ and live stats for the games will be available on ULMWarhawks.com/Stats.

SERIES HISTORY VS. TEXAS STATE – 

The Warhawks will take on the Bobcats for the 95th, 96th and 97th times in the teams history, playing in San Marcos for the first time since 2023. Texas State holds the 56-38 edge, winning the last 10 straight and leading 24-12 when hosting the Warhawks. The last win over the Bobcats in San Marcos for ULM came in 2016. Last season, Texas State swept the Warhawks at home in the final conference series of the season, now turning around as the first conference series of this season.

SCOUTING THE BOBCATS –

The Bobcats post a 15-8 record heading into conference play, as the defenders of the Sun Belt regular season title. Picked to win the league again, Texas State has already claimed notable nonconference wins over Northwestern, Clemson, Southeastern and Texas A&M, two of those wins being over ranked opponents. Reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year Aiyana Coleman leads the team in batting average (.412), home runs (6) and RBIs (17), also leading the league in walks with 19. All-Sun Belt pitcher Maddy Azua (2.08 ERA) and freshman Emma Strood (1.83 ERA), collect most starts in the circle, Azua logging 102 strikeouts already this season. Most recently, the Bobcats claimed a 1-0 midweek victory at home against Sam Houston.

LAST TIME OUT –

The Warhawks fell at home to Central Arkansas, in a close 4-3 contest. After a three-run homer in the first inning by Morgan Brown set ULM up with the lead, the Bears clawed back in the fifth to tie the ball game. A fielder's choice in the top of the seventh secured the winning run for UCA, claiming a third win over the Warhawks this season. Brown led the team with two hits and three RBI, Olivia Faggard drove the defense with 12 putouts and a double play at first base and Skylar Waggoner struck out two batters across 4.1 innings in the circle.

SUN BELT OPENER –

Since joining the Sun Belt in 2006, the Warhawks have claimed a 26-31 record in the Sun Belt opening series, a 13-8 record in the Molly Fichtner era. ULM has swept the opening conference series twice since 2006, most recently doing so in 2025 against Georgia State. When opening league play on the road, ULM is 11-22 since 2006, last winning the Sun Belt-opening series on the road in 2024. 

MO GOES YARD –

Two home runs in a game for Morgan Brown sets the standard again, reaching the milestone for the second time in her career. On February 28 against Jacksonville State, Brown claimed her second homer of the season in the second inning, then claiming another in the sixth. Brown becomes one of few Sun Belt players to have a multi-home run game under her belt already this season. The redshirt sophomore has four home runs under her belt in 2026.

TWICE AS NICE –

Twins Meagan Brown and Morgan Brown boast similar numbers and continue to find success on the field together. Both sisters collected three hits and three RBIs when batting back-to-back against Grambling (March 4). They are one of 15 sets of twins playing on the same NCAA softball team. Last season, the girls hit back-to-back home runs on two separate occasions. Both sisters were also named to the All-Sun Belt First Team and Preseason All-Sun Belt team.

LOOKING AHEAD –

Another midweek on the road is in the cards for ULM, as the softball team heads to Coach Fichtner's alma mater in Alabama on March 17. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide.