Trojans Split on Day 1 in Virginia

BOTETOURT, Va. ? The Troy Trojans softball team played two games that each touched different extremes on day one of the Hokies United Memorial Tournament at the Botetourt Softball Complex in Botetourt, Virginia.

Troy fell to St. Joseph's despite a spirited seventh inning comeback where the Trojans scored two runs to cut the deficit to one, but stranded the winning run at second base to lose 5-4.

Following a Katie Taber strikeout Felicia Hammer jump started the Trojan offense with a double, pinch hitter Rocky Paige would follow that up with an infield single to put two on for Troy with just one out.

Next, Kala Moore singled to left field to load the bases with Trojans. Hillary Hughes lined to the shortstop for the second out, but Heidi Johnson continued the rally with a two-run single where she would advance to second on the throw to the plate.

Troy (7-4) got behind early, surrendering a run to the Hawks in the first inning. The Trojans would jump on top in the visitor half of the fourth on a Courtney Davis two-run home run to dead centerfield.

Saint Joseph's battled back in the bottom of the fifth with three runs and also added a fifth run that proved to be the winner in the sixth.

Ashlyn Williams (6.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K; now 6-2) started game one for the Trojans. She was charged with the loss, her second of the season.

Johnson finished the game 1-for-2 with two RBI's with Davis posting a 2-for-3 day with two RBI on her second home run of the season.

In game two the Trojans would again fall behind early allowing Rutgers to pick up a 4-0 lead in the top of the first before invoking the run rule on the Scarlet Knights after holding 13-4 lead at the end of the fifth inning.

Moore got the offensive ball rolling for the Trojans in the first when she reached on an error and immediately stole second base on the first pitch.

The stolen base was her seventh of the season. Hughes followed up Moore's hit with a single of her own. Moore scored with Hughes advancing to third while Johnson reached base on an error by the second baseman Nicole Lindley.

Next, Johnson stole second base and was then scored along with Hughes on a Jessica Lyle double. Lyle made it to second base on the relay throw. Paige and Hammer grounded out to end the inning.

The State College of New Jersey failed to contain the Trojans as they put up three runs in the second inning, added four more in the third and finally two in the fourth giving to complete their streak of scoring 13 unanswered runs.

Williams (now 7-2) started again for the Trojans, this time with a different result as she picked up her seventh victory of the year.

She tossed three inning and allowed four unearned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

Cassie Lassiter completed two innings of relief work with only two hits allowed. She struck out two and walked one.

Johnson (1-for-3, two RBI's) and Hammer (2-for-3, three RBI's) both homered for Troy.

Lyle (two RBI's) and Hughes (one RBI) both added two hits. Moore also had an RBI for the Trojans.

Troy faces Winthrop at 11 am EST on Sunday to complete the pool play portion of the tournament. They will also face-off against the corresponding seed for the “A pool” at 1 pm EST to complete play.

Troy University Athletics

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