Troy softball began its nine-game home stand with Louisiana-Monroe last weekend, losing the conference series two games to one.
The Trojans dropped both games in tight fashion in Friday’s doubleheader before the bats came alive in a 12-2 run rule victory on Saturday.
Game one of the series got off to a slow start as the two teams combined for two hits through the first five innings. ULM got on the board first with an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning after a pair of hits.
Troy responded in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Logan Calhoun’s double brought in freshman Grace Mirley. With the score tied, Monroe’s Jayden Mount launched a two-run homerun to center field to give the Warhawks the 3-1 lead.
Troy could not put a rally together, only fielding one baserunner in the final inning when sophomore Madeline Porter was hit by a pitch.
Game two of the day featured over twice as many hits, but fewer runs as the Warhawks squeezed by Troy 2-1.
Monroe scored first with an RBI bunt in the top half of the third inning. The Trojans answered in the fifth, registering three hits with a Porter single driving in freshman Katie Webb.
After a scoreless sixth, the Warhawks brought in a runner on a pair of two-out hits in the seventh. Troy could not cross the plate again in the game’s final two innings. The loss was Troy’s 12th one-run loss this season.
Troy came out a new team on Saturday, scoring 12 runs on 11 hits in just five innings.
After Monroe scored the first run of the game in the first, Troy answered in the second. A walk, hit-by-pitch and a single loaded the bases for senior Becca Hartley who blasted a full-count pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam.
After four consecutive walks scored a run in the fourth for the Warhawks, Troy responded in the bottom half of the inning. The Trojans loaded the bases again on a trio of singles. Junior Carli Kayler and Porter both brought in one run each with a pair of singles while freshman Brooke Echols drew a walk to bring in another.
With the score now 8-2 and the bases still loaded, senior Jordan Gray went yard on a 2-2 pitch for her first career grand slam. Monroe could not extend the game, coming up empty in the fifth inning.
“That was awesome,” Hartley said. “We played two great games yesterday, and they just didn’t fall for us, but today we told ourselves before the game that we were going to make it happen no matter what it took.”
Despite snapping its six-game losing streak, Troy started a new one at home against No. 2-ranked Florida State.
The Seminoles’ bats were alive and well Tuesday night as the visitors cruised to a pair of wins over the Trojans. FSU’s Cali Harrod led her team with two hits, both of which went over the fence for home runs, and a total of three RBI’s.
Harrod’s first homer gave her team a 2-0 lead in the second inning before teammate Carsyn Gordon singled to center field to bat in the third run of game one. Troy responded with a two-run RBI in the third inning off Stephanie Snyder’s bat, bringing in Hartley and Calhoun.
The Seminoles responded with six unanswered runs before Calhoun’s second run of the evening in the seventh inning made for a final score of 9-3 in favor of Florida State.
The nightcap of the doubleheader was a much closer game than the first, but the Seminoles kept Troy at arm’s length the entire game.
FSU’s Cassidy Davis and Ellie Cooper both hit RBI singles to give the Seminoles a 2-0 lead they didn’t concede. Troy was held scoreless through seven innings and only recorded two hits as a team.
Troy will host Appalachian State this weekend as the Trojans head down the final stretch of the season. First pitch of the series-opening game is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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