Softball earns series sweep

Trojans use three shutouts, including no-hitter from Alyssa Faircloth, to crush UMass in four straight wins at home

Brady Fitch photo

The Troy softball team swept the UMass Minutewomen in four games over the weekend with lockdown pitching, including a Friday no-hitter from Alyssa Faircloth. She threw Troy’s first no-hitter since 2022 in a 5-0 win.

Kayden Dunn also had a stellar weekend, socking three home runs – one on Friday’s doubleheader and two on Saturday’s. She hit the walk-off bomb in a 15-7 run-rule win, capping off a 12-run inning after the Trojans stared down a four-run deficit.

Troy won a 7-0 game to start the weekend – Mya Holt turned in a fantastic outing from the circle to lock down the Minutewomen. Troy broke the game open in the sixth after heading into the inning with a 2-0 lead.

Holt, who spun her first career shutout and Troy’s second of the season, pitched seven innings and only allowed three hits. She struck out one batter.

From the dish, Dunn led the charge with a 2-for-3 game, crushing a home run and drawing a walk. The first baseman also swiped second base, her first steal of the season. Caiden Oliva and Rebekah Johnson also had RBIs, both in Troy’s five-run sixth inning.

Faircloth’s no-hitter pushed Troy to a 5-0 win over UMass in the nightcap. She fired seven innings, striking out nine batters and only walking one.

Faircloth logged the first seven-inning no-hitter for the Trojans since Leanna Johnson no-hit UT Arlington on Apr. 24, 2022. The sophomore pitcher has been on a tear as of late, striking out nine batters in three straight starts.

Although the offense was quiet for much of the game, Taylor McKinney provided Faircloth with all the run support she would need in the fourth. McKinney went 1-for-2 with a triple, a walk and two runs scored.

Dunn went 1-for-3, slapping a two-RBI single to right field in Troy’s four-run sixth inning. Hitting from the eight hole, Natalie Turner went 3-for-3 and pushed across a run.

Troy recorded its third straight shutout with a 7-0 win over UMass to start Saturday’s action. This time, it was Savannah Money who starred from the circle while the bats pushed across plenty of runs.

Money spun 5.1 scoreless innings, striking out four batters and giving up six hits. The sophomore earned her first scoreless start of the year, cruising through the Minutewomen lineup.

On the offensive side of things, Oliva, Oney and Turner led the charge. Turner finished the game 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, running her streak to six straight at-bats with a hit.

The freshman duo of Oliva and Oney each had two hits, with Oney hitting a double and an RBI single.

The Trojans capped off the four-game sweep of UMass with a 15-7 run-rule victory. After falling behind 7-3 in the fifth inning, Troy put up a 12-run inning to walk off the Minutewomen.

Sarah Beth Brake had a monster 2-for-2 game, pushing across four RBIs. The catcher drilled a two-run homer early and tied the game in the fifth with a two-RBI single.

Hitting from the leadoff spot, Makaley Boswell went 1-for-2 with 3 RBIs. Her two-run home run ignited Troy’s fifth inning rally, and she also drew a bases-loaded walk later in the frame.

McKinney and Dunn also hit home runs – McKinney launched a grand slam to center field, and Dunn followed it up with the walk-off homer just two batters later.

UMass took a commanding 7-3 lead in the fifth inning off Kate Peters and Alyssa Faircloth, with the four-run inning putting Troy in a hole late. However, the Trojans wasted no time cutting into the deficit.

With one runner on, Boswell torched a ball to left-center field to make it a 7-5 game. Her home run was just the second of her career, and the first she hit at home.

After Troy loaded the bases in the inning, Brake delivered again with a single to tie the game at 7-7. Johnson and Annie Orman each added RBI singles to take the lead back – Boswell came back around to draw a bases-loaded walk.

McKinney promptly unloaded the bases with a mammoth grand slam to center field, and Dunn capped off the inning with a walk-off blast to end the game.

After a midweek doubleheader against Alabama A&M on Wednesday, the Trojans play host to Coastal Carolina to start Sun Belt Conference play.