Troy University Athletics
Troy Goes 3-2 At FSU Inviational; Drops Consolation Game 6-5 In 11 Innings
3/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Troy University Softball Team began the 2005 Florida State Invitational with a ten-inning thriller with Southern Illinois and ended it with an 11-inning thriller with Radford. However in both instances Troy fell short earning fourth place in the tournament winning three out of five games played on the weekend.
Troy fell to the Salukis of Southern Illinois in their first game of the FSU Invitational 0-2. The game was a pitcher's duel between Troy's Jocelyn McCallum and SIU's Amy Harre. The two combined to strike out 23 batters in ten innings of work with McCallum striking out 15 to set the Trojan record for strikeouts in a game. The Salukis scored two runs in the top of the tenth and Troy was unable to answer in its half of the inning. SIU took the game as McCallum fell to 6-2.
The Trojans went on to face a familiar foe as Florida A&M and Troy did battle for the fourth time this season. FAMU visited Troy earlier in the season for a double header and the two teams met last weekend at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic. The Trojans took both games of the double header but lost in extra innings to the Lady Rattlers at the Buzz Classic. Troy would avenge the loss mightily as they defeated Florida A&M 9-0 in five innings.
Troy then went on to face Atlantic Sun foe Georgia State on the second day of the tournament. The Trojans dispatched the Lady Panthers with ease taking the game 8-0 in five innings as well. The game will affect each team's overall record but not each's conference record.
The University of Maryland was up next for the Trojans as Troy looked to advance to championship play. Senior Catcher Tamra Howren belted two home runs to lift the Trojans past the Terps and put Troy into the consolation matchup as both SIU and FSU went undefeated the first two days of the tournament to advance to the championship game.
The Trojans took on the Highlanders of Radford in the game to determine the third-place finisher of the FSU Invitational. Troy took a 3-0 lead into the top of the seventh but the Highlanders would not go quietly scoring three runs to tie the game. The two teams traded runs back and forth for four more innings until the Trojans could not answer in their half of the 11th inning. Radford took the game 6-5 due largely to Troy's four errors in the game.
Troy's Tamra Howren and Jocelyn McCallum were named to the all-tournament team. Southern Illinois defeated FSU in the tournament's championship game to win the 2005 Florida State Invitational.
Troy now stands at 21-10 as they prepare to host Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference Thursday and Friday at the Lady Trojan Softball Complex. Troy will then go on and compete in its last regular-season tournament of the season at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla.
-TROJANS-
