Troy University Athletics
Troy University
South Carolina
Trojans Take Tourney Title
2/21/2010 5:00:00 PM | Softball
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Trojans defeated the South
Carolina Gamecocks, 5-4, to close out the UCF Invitational on Sunday. The Trojans finished the weekend with a 4-1 record to take the tournament title.
The Trojans (6-1) used five doubles to take down the Gamecocks, two off of the bat of Rocky Paige. The senior led the Trojans at the plate, going 3-for-3 with one RBI. Courtney Cherry also had a double and posted two RBI.
Ashlyn Williams picked up the win in a complete game effort, striking out eight. She gave up four runs, none earned on four hits.
The Trojans got on the board first with one run in the bottom of the second inning. Rocky Paige led off with a single through the left side. After a failed bunt attempt, Courtney Cherry was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out.
Sarah Harris delivered with an RBI double, but only one run came across the plate as Cherry was thrown out at home and Harris was thrown out trying to reach third.
The Gamecocks (6-4) got the run back in the fourth when the leadoff batter reached on an error by Ashlyn Williams. A sacrifice bunt and a deep fly to center each moved the runner up one base. With a runner on third with two outs, an RBI single down the third base line plated the tying run.
The Trojans broke the 1-1 tie in bottom of the fourth with a two spot. Belinda White led off with a single and a sac bunt by Hayden Gann advanced her to second. Paige delivered with an RBI double to plate the go ahead run. After a Sally Ward single, a Courtney Cherry liner over the first baseman's head plated the Trojans third run of the day.
Troy added an insurance run in the fifth to make the score 4-1. Kortney Cooper led off with a bunt single, and then a Kala Moore sac bunt advanced her to second. After White struck out, Gann hit the Trojans second RBI double of the day to left center to plate the run from second.
Paige led off the sixth with her second double in as many at-bats. After Marcy Sartain struck out, Cherry hit a double of her own to the warning track in straight away center to plate Paige and give the Trojans a 5-1 lead.
South Carolina rallied in the seventh, scoring three runs off of three Trojan errors to get within one.
The Trojans will be back in action when they travel to Kennesaw State on Tuesday for a doubleheader with the Owls. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00 p.m. CT from Bailey Park.
Check back with TroyTrojans.com for more news and notes from the softball diamond, as well as all of Troy Athletics.
