Troy University Athletics
Harcourt Pitches Two Complete Games as Trojans Split
3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TAMPA, Fla. - Junior Laine Harcourt pitched two complete games for Troy on Saturday as the Trojans beat Towson, 9-1 get in the championship bracket and then lost to South Florida, 1-0, in the first round of playoffs at the South Florida Speedline Invitational on Saturday.
Harcourt went 13 innings allowed 11 hits, two runs and had 13 strikeouts for both games. Harcourt now has a record of 7-8 for the season and has pitched 14 complete games.
I cannot say enough about Laine Harcourt's performance. Pitching a total of 13 innings and not giving up a run and only giving up one unearned run just speaks for itself,” head coach Melanie Davis said.
Troy (15-17) defeated Towson 9-1 in six innings for the No. 1 seed in pool C and then lost to South Florida in the first round of playoffs at the Tournament.
Against Towson, Troy put runs on the board first on a throwing error by the short stop to the first baseman after fielding a hit by freshman Felecia Hammer. The error brought in Lyle and Dwyer who were at second and third. Dywer was walked and Lyle reached on an error by the second baseman.Towson scored in the third on a throwing error by Powell to Lyle, 3-1 Troy.
Junior Brooke Powell hit a two-run home run in the third, scoring Lyle who reached on a single and extended the lead for Troy, 5-1. The home run was Powell's fifth of the year.
Troy scored four runs in the sixth to end the game by the eight-run rule, which is enacted after the fifth inning. To start the inning, Johnson doubled, Dwyer singled, Lyle singled bringing in junior Angie Coteat who was pinch running for Johnson. Then freshman Felicia Hammer singled bringing in Dwyer and Lyle, 8-1 Trojans.
To clinch the win for Troy, senior Candace Sasser doubled scoring freshman Kim Kelley, who pinch ran for Hammer, and sealed the game for Troy.
Lyle went two for four, accounted for three runs, and notched an RBI. Jones and Johnson each went two for three.
Against South Florida, Troy was held scoreless as Christi Ecks held the Trojans to just four hits. Lyle, Jones and sophomore Caurie Miller each went one for three and Hammer went one for two.
The Trojans had no errors in the game but did leave five runners on base.
USF scored its only run in the first inning as Krista Holle singled and then scored on a passed ball.
USF had six hits in the game and only left three runners on base.
Troy will play Illinois-Chicago on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. EST at the Greco Softball Complex. With a win, Troy will advance to the runners-up game in the championship bracket, which will be played at 10:30 a.m. EST at the Greco Softball Complex.
