The Trojan softball team had an amazing 4-1 home series this past weekend at the Trojan Invitational.
The team won its first game 6-5 against the University of Connecticut Huskies on Friday, Feb. 20. The starting pitchers were junior Sara Mock for Troy and sophomore Kayla Doty for the Huskies.
The Huskies got the first run of the game in the top of the third inning off a home run from sophomore first baseman Dominique Pinto. Troy responded, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third.
Junior catcher Hannah Day doubled to score senior left fielder Chelsea Eytel, and then senior first baseman Michelle Phelps singled up the middle to score Day.
The Huskies retaliated by scoring four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Mock walked two batters with the bases loaded to give the Huskies two runs.
Junior shortstop Lexi Gifford hit a sacrifice fly to score the Huskies’ fourth run of the game and then sophomore second baseman Taylor Townsend singled to score the Huskie’s fifth run of the game. Troy scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior third baseman Khadija Neely singled to score sophomore second baseman Becca Hartley, and Eytel lined out to right field to score junior right fielder Amanda Winters.
In the seventh inning, the Trojans tied the game up with a single by Winters to score Phelps.
The Trojans won the game the eighth inning with a walk-off single by Phelps to score Eytel. Phelps went 3-5 at the plate with two RBIs.
Troy played the Northern Illinois University Huskies on that Friday as well, and Troy beat them 5-4. The starting pitchers were junior Ashley Rainey for Troy and senior Jessica Sturm for Northern Illinois.
Troy drew first blood with two runs in the first inning. Hartley hit into a double play to score junior shortstop Kate Benton. Winters singled up the middle to score Day.
The Huskies made a strong rally, though, scoring four runs in the fourth inning. Sophomore right fielder Rebecca Rupard hit in their first run on single to score junior catcher Emily Naegele.
Sophomore shortstop Kali Kossakowski and junior center fielder Caitlyn Warren both singled to put across two more runs. Kossakowski scored on a fielding error by senior pitcher Jaycee Affeldt.
In the fifth inning, the Trojans scored when Winters fouled out to score Day. In the seventh inning, Phelps homered to tie the game 4-4. The Trojans won it in the eighth inning on a walk-off hit by Day to score Affeldt.
Troy played Northern Illinois again on Saturday, Feb. 21. The Trojans lost 6-5. The starting pitchers were Mock and freshman Tara Thacker.
Northern Illinois scored first when freshman catcher Bekah Harnish singled to score Warren, and freshman shortstop Alaynie Woollard tripled to score Harnish and sophomore first baseman Kayti Grable.
Troy struck back in the second inning with three runs. It started with a single by freshman center fielder Carli Kayler to score Winters.
Day singled up the middle to score Eytel and junior designated player Heather Johnston. The Trojans scored another run in the third inning off a double by Kayler to score Neely.
Northern Illinois scored three runs in the seventh to win the game. Warren doubled to score Rupard, Grable singled to score Warren. Naegele reached on a fielder’s choice to score senior designated player Kristyn Barrett.
The Trojans played the University of Connecticut once more later that day. The Trojans ended the game in the fifth inning 10-0. The starting pitchers were Affeldt and freshman Chelsea Eckert.
The Trojans started by scoring two runs in the second inning. Day singled to score Affeldt and Kayler.
Troy scored three more runs in the third. Kayler reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder to score Affeldt, and Benton singled to score Kayler and freshman designated player Erica Davis.
In fourth inning, Hartley flied out to score Phelps. In the fifth inning, Phelps singled to score Kayler, and Winters homered to score Benton and Phelps. Benton went 4-4 at the plate with two RBIs.
Troy played the Evansville Purple Aces on Sunday, Feb. 22. The Trojans won 3-1. The starting pitchers were Rainey and junior Amanda Blankenship.
The Trojans scored in the first inning when Phelps flied out to score Benton.
Evansville responded by scoring one run in the fourth inning. Sophomore left fielder Chandra Parr grounded out to score senior shortstop Abbi Fahse.
Troy scored two runs in the sixth inning to clinch the game. Hartley scored on an error when pinch hitter sophomore Meg Willis grounded out.
Redshirt freshman Allison Moore pinch ran for Affeldt and scored off a double from Kayler. Kayler went 2-3 with one RBI.
The softball team’s next game is on Friday, Feb. 27, in DeLand, Florida, against Alabama State in the Stetson Classic.
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