Hanna Cooper
Editor-In-Chief
For just the second time in program history, and the first time in Arlington, Texas, the Troy softball team swept UT Arlington during the opening weekend of conference play.
Leanna Johnson surpassed the 500 career strikeouts milestone en route to a shutout win over UT Arlington, 5-0, before Troy utilized timely offensive bursts to down the Mavericks and take the series, 4-1, Saturday at Allan Saxe Field.
Needing seven strikeouts to top the 500 mark, Johnson fanned 10 Mavericks to become the second Trojan in program history to reach the milestone.
In game one, after a scoreless opening frame, Troy’s offense ignited in the top of the second inning scoring four runs off four hits.
Kelly Horne kick started the action with a leadoff double to left field. Anslee Finch then smashed a single to the right-field wall to plate the first run of the matchup.
Sinness then drew another four-pitch walk scoring a second run for the Trojans. Candela Figueroa capped off the four-run affair roping a single up the middle to score Calhoun and Baker.
After a pair of errors plated an insurance run for the Trojans, Johnson retired the side to secure her ninth win of the season.
In game two Saturday, Troy struck first in the top of the opening frame after Horne hit a sacrifice fly to score Sinness, who led off the contest with a single to left.
After Libby Baker blanked the Mavericks in a pair of frames, UT Arlington tied the contest in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run hit by Madison Miller. However, the Trojans answered in the top of the fifth when Sinness doubled to left-center to score Calhoun and give Troy back the lead.
Baker returned to the circle in the bottom half of the frame and retired the side to bring Troy’s offense back to the plate. The pitcher then flashed her batting skills blasting a two-run shot to add a pair of insurance runs for the Trojans.
A scoreless seventh inning secured the series victory for the Trojans.
Powered by a dominant offensive performance, the Trojans downed UT Arlington, 10-2, to sweep the first conference series Sunday at Allan Saxe Field.
Troy’s offense recorded its eight double-digit hit performance of the season to score 10 runs in the series finale.
The Trojans struck first in the opening frame when Katie Webb smashed her first long ball of the season, a two-run shot over the center field wall.
The Mavericks answered with a solo shot of their own in the bottom half of the first to bring the matchup back within one.
Calhoun turned her wheels on in the top of the third scoring from first on a Sinness double to give the Trojans the two-run advantage back.
Johnson (10-3) retired the side to send the game into the top of the third.
Troy’s offense broke the game wide open scoring six runs off four hits and an error. Four of those runs came with two outs.
Finch crushed a double to deep left-center plating the first two runs of the outing. A strikeout set up Figueroa to kick start a two-out rally with an RBI single to center field.
Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for sophomore Katie Lively. Lively came in clutch hitting an infield single to tack on another pair of runs. A fielding error by the Mavericks second baseman capped off the six-run affair for Troy.
After a pair of scoreless frames, UT Arlington evaded the run-rule by scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth. However, Finch answered with a solo shot over the left-center wall to bring Troy’s lead back to eight.
After a leadoff walk, Johnson retired the next three Mavericks to secure the six-inning victory for the Trojans.
The Trojans continue their road stretch into next weekend with a three-game series with Georgia State. First pitch from Atlanta Friday is set for 4 p.m.
