Trojans Run by Bradley in Five Innings

Sunday, March 6

Las Vegas, NV

10:00 a.m.

Troy University

Bradley University

Photo by: Troy University

3/6/2011 3:27:25 PM | Softball

Troy closes out the Eller Media Classic with back-to-back wins

By: Travis Jarome

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The Troy University softball team closed out the Eller Media Classic with a 9-1 victory over Bradley University on Sunday afternoon; closing the tournament winning their final two games.

Troy (13-6) scored in the first, but that run was answered by Bradley in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 1-all. However, it was the bottom of the second where the Trojans answered and put the game away - plating eight runs off the Braves pitching.

The Trojans scored all eight runs with two outs in the inning, as two of the first three batters of the inning were retired. The only one of the top three not to get retired was senior Ashley Adkins (Tampa, Fla./Robinson HS), who was hit by a pitch and subsequently scored the game-winning run. The senior moved to second on a two-out single by Kelly Luquette (St. Amant, La./St. Amant HS) to left field. She moved to third on a two-out walk by Taylor Smartt (Troy, Ala./Charles Henderson HS) loaded the bases; and scored on a Nikki Hollett (Melbourne, Australia/Wesley College) single to left - a hit that also brought in Luquette from second base and gave the Trojans a 3-1 lead.

With runners at second and third, junior Hayden Gann (Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS) drove home Smartt for a 4-1 lead; before Hollett and Gann both scored on a fielding error from Bradley off the bat of Michelle Hewett (Alford, Fla./Chipola JC) for a 6-1 lead. Following a pitching change and a stolen base by Hewett, junior Sarah Shields (Shereville, Ind./Lake Central HS) kept the inning alive with a two-out walk.

After the Shields walk to put runner at first and second, junior Randi Ashworth (Crosby, Texas/Tallahassee CC) blasted her first home run of her career over center to give the Trojans a 9-1 lead; ending the scoring in the contest for both teams.

The Trojans had six different players record a hit on the day, with Hollett scoring a pair and driving in a pair; while Ashworth recorded three RBI on the day.

Haley Hutchins (McCalla, Ala./Brookwood HS) picked up the victory as she went five innings and allowed just one run - which was unearned. Hutchins (5-2) also gave up six hits and struck three batters on the day.

The Trojans return to action on Tuesday when they travel further west to take on Cal State Fullerton in a doubleheader, before heading to Fresno to close out the week in the Bulldogs' Tournament.

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