South Alabama will face Texas State in a three-game softball series at Jaguar Field in Mobile, beginning Thursday, April 2. The teams will play on Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m., with the final game scheduled for Saturday at noon.
The series holds significance as South Alabama (23-15, 7-2 Sun Belt Conference) aims to continue its momentum after sweeping James Madison last weekend. Texas State enters the matchup with a record of 22-15 overall and 4-5 in conference play.
Texas State leads the all-time series against South Alabama, holding a 25-11 advantage. In games played in Mobile, Texas State has won ten out of fourteen matchups. The Bobcats also carry a four-game winning streak over the Jaguars into this weekend’s contests.
Several promotions are planned during the series: Student-Athlete Appreciation Night on Thursday will include recognition for student-athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher before the game; Friday features “Bark in the Park,” where fans bringing dogs receive free bandanas; and Saturday is Kayden Dunn Senior Day.
Key players for South Alabama include Olivia Branstetter, who has reached base safely in her last eight plate appearances, surpassing Virginia Mambelli’s earlier streak this season. Mambelli leads the team with a .365 batting average and .649 slugging percentage. Presley Lively leads both the conference and ranks tied for third nationally with six triples this season while also ranking among league leaders in walks.
Pitcher Ryley Harrison was named Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week as well as Softball America’s Pitcher of the Week following her recent performances. Over her last twenty-five innings pitched, Harrison has allowed just one earned run and currently ranks among league leaders in several pitching categories including earned run average (second), strikeouts (third), wins (fourth), saves (tied first), and opposing batting average (tied seventh). As a staff, South Alabama leads their conference with nine shutouts—tied for fifteenth nationally—and holds top marks for strikeouts as well as lowest opponent batting average during league play.
The Jaguars are one save away from matching their program’s single-season record set in 2015.
