The 2021 Texas State Bobcats softball team represented Texas State University during the 2020 NCAA Division I softball season. The Bobcats played their home games at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The Bobcats were led by twenty-first year head coach Ricci Woodard and were members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Preseason
Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 8, 2021. Texas State was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference with 72 votes.
Coaches poll 1 Louisiana 100 (10) 2 Troy 87 3 Texas State 72 4 Coastal Carolina 68 4 UT Arlington 68 6 Appalachian State 43 7 Georgia Southern 38 8 South Alabama 36 9 Louisiana-Monroe 22 10 Georgia State 16
Preseason All-Sun Belt team Summer Ellyson (LA, SR, Pitcher) Leanna Johnson (TROY, SO, Pitcher) Allisa Dalton (LA, SR, Shortstop/3rd Base) Katie Webb (TROY, SR, Infielder/1st Base) Raina O'Neal (LA, JR, Outfielder) Julie Raws (LA, SR, Catcher) Courtney Dean (CCU, SR, Outfielder) Mekhia Freeman (GASO, SR, Outfielder) Korie Kreps (ULM, JR, Outfielder) Kaitlyn Alderink (LA, SR, 2nd Base) Jade Gortarez (LA, SR, Shortstop/3rd Base) Ciara Bryan (LA, SR, Outfielder) Kelly Horne (TROY, SO, Infielder/2nd Base) Makiya Thomas (CCU, SR, Outfielder/Infielder) Tara Oltmann (TXST, SR, Infielder/Shortstop) Jayden Mount (ULM, SR, Infielder) Katie Lively (TROY, SO, Outfielder)
National Softball Signing Day
Presley Glende Pitcher Kirbyville, Texas Buna HS Missy Muras Infielder/Catcher La Grange, Texas LaGrange HS Kaitlyn Dutton Pitcher/Utility Mont Belvieu, Texas Barbers Hill HS Ciara Trahan Outfielder Santa Fe, Texas Santa Fe HS Makayla Hall Catcher Spring, Texas Klein Oak HS Bailee Welsh Pitcher Fairhope, Alabama McGill-Toolen Catholic HS
Roster
2021 Texas State Bobcats roster Pitchers 4 Jessica Mullins – freshman 8 Meagan King – senior 15 Tori McCann – sophomore 16 Cassie Valdez – junior 18 Dalilah Barrera – senior 23 Brooke Blackwell – junior
Outfielders 2 Molly Damiani – junior 6 Marisa Cruz – senior 10 Kylie George – senior 11 Piper Randolph – freshman 19 Arieann Bell – senior Catchers 00 Cat Crenek – junior 13 Caitlyn Rogers – junior
Infielders 3 Hannah Earls – freshman 5 Sydney Belvin - Redshirt Freshman 9 Maya Zavala – sophomore 12 Raina Lange – freshman 22 Tara Oltmann – senior 24 Baylee Lemons – freshman 25 Hailey MacKay – senior 26 Sara Vanderford – sophomore 27 Samara Lagway – junior
Utility 28 Mia Cantu – freshman
Coaching staff 2021 Texas State Bobcats coaching staffRicci Woodard – Head coach – 21st year Haley Long – Assistant Head coach – 4th year Paige McDuffee – Assistant Head coach – 2nd year Julia Hollingsworth – Graduate Assistant – 1st year Jessie Farmiloe – Volunteer Assistant Coach – 1st year
Schedule and results Legend Texas State win Texas State loss Postponement/Cancellation/SuspensionsBoldTexas State team member
2021 Texas State Bobcats Softball Game Log Regular season (36-10) February (6-2) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordFeb. 13 RV Texas Tech RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX Game postponed due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in San MarcosFeb. 14 RV Texas Tech RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in San Marcos Maverick ClassicFeb. 20 vs. Abilene Christian Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in ArlingtonFeb. 20 vs. Wichita State Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in ArlingtonFeb. 21 vs. Wichita State Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in ArlingtonFeb. 21 vs. Abilene Christian Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in ArlingtonFeb. 22 Abilene Christian Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 6-0 Mullins (1-0) White (1-2) None ESPN+ 201 1-0 Feb. 22 Abilene Christian Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 6-2 King (1-0) Bradley (1-1) None ESPN+ 201 2-0 Feb. 24 at No. 7 Texas Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX L 0-1 Jacobsen (2-0) Mullins (1-1) None Longhorn Network 282 2-1 Lone Star State InvitationalFeb. 26 Mississippi State Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 4-3 McCann (1-0) Wesley (1-1) Mullins (1) 256 3-1 Feb. 26 Mississippi State Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX L 2-6 Fagan (1-0) Mullins (1-2) None 256 3-2 Feb. 27 Ole Miss Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 2-1 Mullins (2-2) Diederich (3-4) None 313 4-2 Feb. 27 Sam Houston State Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 10-3 McCann (2-0) Bachmeyer (0-3) None 313 5-2 Feb. 28 Lamar Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 8-1 King (2-0) Marwitz (0-1) None ESPN+ 234 6-2 March (15-1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordMar. 3 at Texas Tech Rocky Johnson Stadium • Lubbock, TX W 6-5 Blackwell (1-0) Edmoundson (3-3) King (1) 7-2 Mar. 3 at Texas Tech Rocky Johnson Field • Lubbock, TX L 2-7 Zoch (3-2) King (2-1) None 7-3 Mar. 5 Houston Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 6-1 Mullins (3-2) Hertenberger (2-3) None ESPN+ 235 8-3 Mar. 6 Houston Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 8-0 (5 inns) McCann (3-0) Hudson (3-3) None ESPN+ 254 9-3 Mar. 7 Houston Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 5-2 McCann (3-0) Lee (2-2) None ESPN+ 260 10-3 Mar. 10 Sam Houston State RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 6-0 Mullins (4-2) Billmeier (0-2) None 272 11-3 Mar. 11 BYU RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 2-1 Mullins (5-2) Moffat-Korth (5-6) None 237 12-3 Mar. 12 UTSA RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 5-0 Mullins (6-2) Gilbert (1-2) None 330 13-3 Mar. 13 UTSA RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 8-1 King (3-1) Nelson (1-1) None 50 14-3 Mar. 16 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi RV Bobcat Softball Complex • San Marcos, TX W 2-0 Mullins (7-2) Beatriz (6-2) None 174 15-3 Mar. 21 at Appalachian State RV Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC W 4-3 King (4-1) Longanecker (6-3) McCann (1) 50 16-3 1-0Mar. 21 at Appalachian State RV Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC W 8-3 Barrera (1-0) Holland (3-4) Mullins (2) 50 17-3 2-0Mar. 23 at Georgia State RV Robert E. Heck Softball Complex • Decatur, GA W 6-2 King (5-1) Banks (2-3) None 137 18-3 3-0Mar. 23 at Georgia State RV Robert E. Heck Softball Complex • Decatur, GA W 9-0 Mullins (8-2) Buck (3-3) None 131 19-3 4-0Mar. 24 at Georgia State RV Robert E. Heck Softball Complex • Decatur, GA W 10-5 Mullins (9-2) Mooney (4-5) None 153 20-3 5-0Mar. 24 at No. 8 Texas RV Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX Game postponedMar. 30 Tarleton State RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 8-0 (6 inns) Mullins (10-2) Bridges (5-1) None ESPN+ 238 21-3 April (11–6) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordApr. 1 Coastal Carolina RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 6-5 Mullins (11-2) Beasley-Polko (5-7) King (2) ESPN+ 263 22-3 6-0Apr. 1 Coastal Carolina RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 5-1 King (6-1) De Jesus (2-5) None ESPN+ 263 23-3 7-0Apr. 2 Coastal Carolina RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 3-2 King (7-1) Brabham (1-4) None 244 24-3 8-0Apr. 6 RV Texas A&M No. 25 Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 7-6 Mullins (12-2) Poynter (7-2) None ESPN+ 330 25-3 Apr. 9 South Alabama No. 25 Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX L 1-3 Hughen (6-4) Mullins (12-3) None ESPN+ 243 25-4 8-1Apr. 10 South Alabama No. 25 Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX L 0-1 Lackie (12-6) King (7-2) None ESPN+ 307 25-5 8-2 Apr. 11 South Alabama No. 25 Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX L 4-7 Hughes (2-1) McCann (4-1) Lackie (3) ESPN+ 307 25-6 8-3Apr. 14 at Baylor Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX W 7-5 Mullins (13-3) Mansell (6-2) None ESPN+ 340 26-6 Apr. 17 at No. 14 Louisiana Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 5-1 Mullins (14-3) Lamb (14-3) None ESPN+ 289 27-6 9-3Apr. 17 at No. 14 Louisiana Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 3-7 Ellyson (14-4) Mullins (14-4) None ESPN+ 289 27-7 9-4Apr. 18 at No. 14 Louisiana Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 0-8 (6 inns) Ellyson (15-4) Mullins (14-5) None ESPN+ 283 27-8 9-5Apr. 21 at No. 9 Texas RV Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX L 4-5 Day (3-0) Mullins (14-6) O'Leary (3) LHN 375 27-9 Apr. 24 Georgia Southern RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 7-0 Mullins (15-6) Garcia (4-5) None ESPN+ 325 28-9 10-5Apr. 24 Georgia Southern RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 3-0 Barrera (2-0) Waldrep (3-6) King (3) ESPN+ 325 29-9 11-5Apr. 25 Georgia Southern RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 1-0 King (8-2) Garcia (4-6) None ESPN+ 145 30-9 12-5Apr. 28 Houston Baptist RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 4-2 Mullins (16-6) Patak (6-9) King (4) ESPN+ 234 31-9 Apr. 30 at Troy RV Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 4-3 Mullins (17-6) Johnson (18-6) None ESPN+ 134 32-9 13-5 May (4-1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordMay 1 at Troy RV Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 3-0 King (9-2) Baker (6-4) None ESPN+ 132 33-9 14-5May 2 at Troy RV Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL L 4-6 Baker (7-4) King (9-3) None ESPN+ 121 33-10 14-6May 6 UT Arlington RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 8-0 Mullins (18-6) Valencia (5-6) None ESPN+ 265 34-10 15-6May 7 UT Arlington RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 2-1 King (10-3) Bumpurs (2-6) Mullins (3) ESPN+ 271 35-10 16-6May 8 UT Arlington RV Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 4-2 Mullins (19-6) Gardiner (3-3) None ESPN+ 306 36-10 17-6 Postseason (3-4) (2-2) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordMay 12 vs. (10) Georgia State (2) Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 2-0 Mullins (20-6) Allen (1-2) None ESPN+ 121 37-10 May 13 vs. (6) UT Arlington (2) Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 4-0 King (11-3) Bumpurs (2-7) None ESPN+ 138 38-10 May 14 vs. (1)/No. 14 Louisiana (2) Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL L 3-4 Ellyson (22-6) King (11-4) None ESPN+ 188 38-11 May 15 vs. (4) South Alabama (2) Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL L 3-4 (8 inns) Lackie (18-10) McCann (4-2) None ESPN+ 321 38-12 NCAA Division I softball tournament (1-2) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record Austin RegionalsMay 21 vs. (2)/No. 10 Oregon (3) Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX W 5-1 King (12-4) Yanez (20-6) None ESPN3 824 39-12 1-0May 22 vs. (1)/No. 11 Texas (3) Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX L 0-6 O'Leary (15-4) King (12-5) None ESPN2 973 39-13 1-1May 22 vs. (2)/No. 10 Oregon (3) Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX L 0-2 Yanez (21-6) King (12-6) None ESPN3 795 39-14 1-2 Schedule source: *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
Austin Regional Austin Regional Teams(1) Texas Longhorns(2) Oregon Ducks(3) Texas State Bobcats(4) Saint Francis Red Flash
Postseason
Conference accolades Player of the Year: Ciara Bryan – LA Pitcher of the Year: Summer Ellyson – LA Freshman of the Year: Sara Vanderford – TXST Newcomer of the Year: Ciara Bryan – LA Coach of the Year: Gerry Glasco – LA
All Conference First Team Ciara Bryan (LA) Summer Ellyson (LA) Sara Vanderford (TXST) Leanna Johnson (TROY) Jessica Mullins (TXST) Olivia Lackie (USA) Kj Murphy (UTA) Katie Webb (TROY) Jayden Mount (ULM) Kandra Lamb (LA) Kendall Talley (LA) Meredith Keel (USA) Tara Oltmann (TXST) Jade Sinness (TROY) Katie Lively (TROY)
All Conference Second Team Kelly Horne (TROY) Meagan King (TXST) Mackenzie Brasher (USA) Bailee Wilson (GASO) Makiya Thomas (CCU) Kaitlyn Alderink (LA) Abby Krzywiecki (USA) Kenzie Longanecker (APP) Alissa Dalton (LA) Julie Rawls (LA)