BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball dropped games two and three of the series with Texas State on Saturday afternoon by scores of 5-2 and 14-5 in five innings.

The Mountaineers fell to 9-43 overall and ended their 2016 Sun Belt slate with a record of 2-22. The Bobcats have won six of their last seven to improve to 33-18 including 12-9 in conference action. Their final league series of the regular season will be on May 6-7 when they host UT Arlington.

On the day, Cara Parker led the offense with three hits in six at-bats, two runs scored and an RBI. Jenny Dodd and Megan Walker had two hits apiece while one of Dodd's went for a home run, her 10th of the season. Walker snapped an 0-for-24 skid dating back to March 22 (17 games) with a hit in each game. 

That game-one blast for the Black and Gold catcher tied her with Parker's 2014 mark for the most by a freshman in program history and pulled the team within two of the single-season record of 45 set last season.

With Parker's 10 home runs on the year, her and Dodd became the first App State duo with 10-plus home runs each in program history. Those two also represent the first time two Mountaineers have had at least 40 RBI apiece in the same season since Allie Cashion (46) and Meghan Smith (41) in 2011.

Game One: Texas State 5, App State 2

Heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, App State trailed Texas State 4-0. In that half inning, though, Dodd hit her solo shot to cut the deficit to three. After the Bobcats added a fifth run in the sixth, the Mountaineers continued to battle.

In the bottom of the seventh, Parker singled in Walker before a passed ball that moved both her and Tiffany Taynor into scoring position. Pepper Butler then represented the tying run, but she grounded out to second to end the game.

Vanessa Ciocatto (7-19) went seven innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

Game Two: Texas State 14, App State 5 (5 Inn.)

In the nightcap, Texas State scored in each of the five innings with four runs in the first, one in the second, three in the third, four in the fourth, and two in the fifth. The Black and Gold countered with one in the fourth and a five spot in the fifth.

That run in the fourth scored when Natalie Orcutt singled in Parker. In the fifth, two runs scored when Dodd reached on an error by the third baseman and Butler brought in a pair with a single to right field.

In the circle, Ciocatto (7-20) threw a third of an inning, Claire Eosso was responsible for two-thirds and Annaleise Kennedy the final four frames.

Next up, Appalachian State will host North Carolina A&T on Thursday for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. inside Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.