SAN MARCOS, Texas – The ULM softball team (16-13, 0-1 Sun Belt) went 10 innings in its first conference game of the 2026 season, dropping to Texas State (17-8, 1-0 Sun Belt) in a 1-0 defensive duel on Friday night (March 13). The Bobcats claimed seven hits and an error with the lone run, ULM snagging five hits.
The Warhawks opened with a 1-2-3 inning, a lead-off single placing Keely Williams on base in the bottom of the opening inning for Texas State. While two walks placed runners on base, three outs were found to strand the three runners, as the Bobcats would eventually strand 11 total runners.
Meagan Brown hit a lead-off double in the second, but three-straight outs would follow to leave her on base. A three-up, three-down inning came again in the bottom of the second and again in the top of the third.
TSU's Williams hit a double to lead off in the third, two ground-outs to
Elle Carter at shortstop preventing a score. Another scoreless inning in the fourth brought the fifth, where Carter snagged a hit for ULM. Prevented from scoring, the team saw the bottom of the fifth where the Warhawks held Texas State to three retired batters.
Two singles in the sixth brought momentum to the visiting team, as
Brooklin Lippert and
Hollie Thomas got on base. A walk loaded the bases, but the third out came to strand all three. After the Bobcats went scoreless in the sixth, ULM got another runner on base, but another three outs came and went.
A lead-off single in the bottom of the seventh brought momentum for the home team, but three outs–including a strikeout by
Ashanti McDade to conclude the inning–sent the contest to extra innings. A scoreless eighth brought on the ninth, which then sent the game to the 10
th. Carter claimed another hit, but was left stranded in the top of the inning. After two outs were logged, a single from Megan Kelnar with two on base allowed for the walk-off run to score as Texas State claimed the 1-0 victory.
Carter was the lone Warhawk with a multi-hit game, Lippert, Thomas and
Meagan Brown also collecting hits.
Olivia Faggard led the team with 12 putouts at first base, tying her career high from earlier in the week. The true soldier in the contest, however, was pitcher McDade. McDade threw 9.2 innings and 158 pitches, striking out two and allowing just one run.
The Warhawks will remain in San Marcos for the weekend, looking to even the series on Saturday (March 14) at 2 p.m.
