Following a tough loss to Samford, the Troy softball team conceded its series against conference foe Texas State, splitting a doubleheader and falling in the finale.
The Trojans (26-17, 7-8 Sun Belt) struggled to put up runs at home, and though the series’ doubleheader games were decided by one point, they had to work for any sort of offensive productivity.
Following a scoreless first inning in the series opener on Saturday, April 16, the Bobcats (27-16, 9-7 Sun Belt) got on the board with a fly out from senior first baseman Kendall Wiley that brought across junior third baseman Corrina Liscano. Throughout the game, Texas State recorded a total of eight hits, but thanks to a solid defensive showing from the Trojans, was only able to bring in two runs.
Troy responded to the Bobcats’ score with one of its own in the third inning when sophomore left fielder Erica Davis scored on a passed ball. Davis finished the day with one hit and one strikeout on two at-bats, but her run was the Trojans’ only score of the first game.
Texas State took the lead when Liscano recorded the Bobcats’ second RBI of the game with a single up the middle that brought in the game-winning run.
Troy finished the game with just two hits and 14 strikeouts, 12 of which came from sophomore pitcher Randi Rupp in her five innings.
The Trojans bounced back from the loss in the nightcap of the series doubleheader, holding on in the final innings to level the series with a 3-2 victory.
Senior right fielder Hannah Day put the home team on the board first with an RBI single that brought in senior Kate Benton and made the score 1-0. Junior shortstop Becca Hartley added to the Trojans’ total in the second inning when she reached on an RBI double and scored on an eventual run thanks to an RBI from freshman center fielder Bailey Burk.
Following Troy’s quick 3-0 lead, Texas State cut the lead to one with a two-run RBI single from sophomore catcher Jaelyn Young. The pair of runs came in the top of the fourth inning as the Bobcats threatened to steal the lead.
Senior pitcher Ashley Rainey pitched a solid game for the Trojans, striking out just two batters but forcing 11 ground outs. Thanks to Rainey and another good showing by the Trojan defense, the home team came away with the 3-2 victory.
Unlike the previous two games, the third and final game of the series on Sunday, April 17 was never in much doubt. Troy recorded just four hits and struck out nine times en route to an 8-0 loss in five innings.
Six different Bobcats had at least one hit in the game, led by Liscano’s 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Liscano also notched another RBI in the contest.
After going up 4-0 before the fifth inning, Texas State doubled its score with a flurry of hits that brought in four more runs and secured the victory. Rainey took the loss for the Trojans in a game that she pitched three shutouts and walked one batter in three innings pitched.
Things didn’t fare any better for Troy in its next game at Georgia Tech as the Yellow Jackets (18-27, 9-11 ACC) defeated the Trojans 2-1.
Junior left fielder Colleen Darragh hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to give her team a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, and thanks to some excellent pitching from freshman pitcher Jenna Goodrich, Georgia Tech was able to hold Troy to just two hits and a single run.
That run came in the sixth inning off the bat of Davis who batted in sophomore center fielder Allison Moore for Troy’s one and only run. The visitiors continued to battle for the remainder of the game, but the Yellow Jackets conceded no ground in a low-scoring affair.
Troy returns to action at home on Saturday, April 23, when it takes on Georgia Southern in the Trojans’ final home series of the season. First pitch of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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