Troy University Athletics
Troy University
DePaul
Trojans Drop Two to Start Tourney
3/13/2010 5:00:00 AM | Softball
Honolulu, Hawaii - The Trojans (14-10) suffered a tough first day at the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament, falling to DePaul, 5-3, in the first game of the day, and Hawaii 12-4 in the night cap. Kala Moore led the Trojans at the plate on the day, going a combined 5-for-8 in the two games.
GAME ONE
Ashlyn Williams went the distance for the Trojans but was tagged with the loss. She gave up just four hits, but three Trojan errors helped the Blue Demons plate five runs.
Kala Moore paced the Trojans at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.
The Blue Demons (8-7) got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the fourth due largely to two Trojan errors. DePaul had runners on first and second with one out due to a Trojan error and a walk. After a wild pitch allowed both to move into scoring position, a slow ground ball to first base allowed the runner at third to score. After another Trojan error loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly plated the Blue Demons second run.
The Trojans would respond and get both runs back plus one in the top of the sixth. Sarah Harris got things started with a one-out double off of the left field fence. After Marcy Sartain pinch ran, Belinda White hit the Trojans second consecutive double to plate the run from second base.
Hayden Gann was next up for the Trojans and her single advanced White to third while Gann moved to second on a throw to the plate. Sarah Shields came up next and delivered with a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the score at 2-2. The Trojans took the lead when Kala Moore hit a ball over the shortstop's head to score a pinch running Ashley Adkins from second base.
DePaul answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff single followed by a hit batter and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with no outs. After the Trojans picked up the first out, a single to center field scored one run to tie the game at 3-3.
The Trojans were able to force the next player to pop up to shortstop, however
a two-out to single up the middle was able to plate two go-ahead runs to give
the Blue Demons a 5-3 lead.
GAME TWO
The Trojans fell victim to a six-run fifth inning by Hawaii and dropped their third game in as many days to the Rainbow Wahine, this time by a score of 12-4.
Haley Hutchins started the game in the circle for the Trojans and was tagged with the loss. Hutchins threw 3.2 innings and gave up five runs on six hits. Sally Ward also pitched for Troy. She went two innings and gave up seven runs, none of them earned on seven hits.
Kala Moore and Sarah Harris each had two hits in the game for the Trojans.
The Rainbow Wahine got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first. Hawaii got things started with a one out walk. A wild pitch and a single put runners on the corners with one out. The next batter hit a blooper over Kala Moore's head at shortstop. The senior shortstop seamed to make the catch, but when she fell to the ground the ball came free, allowing the runner at third to score.
The Trojans would get the run back in the next half inning though. Sarah Harris took a 1-2 pitch off of Hawaii starter Stephanie Ricketts and deposited it over the left field fence with one out in the top of the second.
Hawaii (15-8) would retake the lead in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run. The Trojans surrendered a leadoff walk that eventually scored on the homer to center field, making the score 3-1.
The Rainbow Wahine added two more in the fourth inning with two solo home runs. The two scores increased the lead to 5-1 and chased Hutchins, bringing Sally Ward to the circle.
Troy would get three runs back in the fifth inning with a critical Hawaii error. After Sarah Shields walked and Kala Moore reached on an infield single, Kaitlin Kenney put down a one out sacrifice bunt. Hawaii first baseman Amanda Tauali'i fielded the bunt and made an errant throw to the second baseman covering. Right fielder Kanani Pu'u-Warren failed to back up the bag and the throw rolled all the way to the right field corner, allowing Shields to score from second, Moore from first and Kenney came all the way around to score as well.
Hawaii would respond and score six runs in the bottom of the inning on just three hits. The Trojans gave up two walks, hit a batter and committed two errors, allowing Hawaii to take an 11-4 lead.
The Rainbow Wahine added a single run in sixth to make the final score 12-4.
The Trojans will be back in action tomorrow when they conclude round robin play against Loyola Marymount at 4:00 p.m. CT. Troy will also play in a semifinal at either 8:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. CT Saturday night.
