OXFORD, Miss. ? The Troy Trojan softball team fell to Jacksonville State 5-3 in eight innings in the first game of the Red & Blue Classic hosted by Ole Miss.
Trailing by two runs and with a full count, two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, Felicia Hammer took a called strike three for the final out of the game.
The play concluded a last inning rally that saw Troy (9-7) pick up two runs. Heidi Johnson's RBI single scored Kala Moore and Johnson also came around to score on a wild pitch to complete Troy's final run total.
The Gamecocks (9-6) scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
Jacksonville State got on the board first in the top of the second inning on a Courtney Underwood solo homerun to leftfield.
Freshman hurler Ashlyn William settled down after allowing the home run to Underwood, not allowing another hit until the eighth inning.
Williams (now 9-3) completed all eight innings for Troy allowing only one earned run. She surrendered four hits and struck out six batters.
Troy tied the game at one run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Courtney Davis, who had reached on a walk and advanced to second, scored on a Cassie Lassiter bloop single into centerfield.
Troy squandered a run scoring opportunity in the fifth inning when Kala Moore was called out for leaving first base early on a stolen base attempt. She had reached base on a single with only one out.
Following Moore's miscue, Hillary Hughes singled to centerfield. Johnson grounded out to first to end the threat.
Hughes was the only Trojan to record multiple hits. Johnson and Lassiter posted RBI's for Troy.
The Trojans return to action at 6:30 pm on Friday against tournament host Ole Miss. Stay tuned to TroyTrojans.com for up to date information.
