Trojans Split on Second Day of Tournament

Saturday, March 5

Las Vegas, NV

6:00 p.m.

Troy University

University of Kansas

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

3/6/2011 4:01:57 AM | Softball

Troy drops first game in extra innings, use long ball to run away from San Jose State in nightcap

By: Travis Jarome

Box Score (Kansas) | Box Score (San Jose State)

LAS VEGAS - As the calendar made its turn from Saturday to Sunday in Sin City, the Troy University softball team was putting the final touches on their second day in the Eller Media Classic.

The second day of the tournament was highlighted by the bat of junior shortstop Nikki Hollett (Melbourne, Australia/Wesley College), who pounded out four home runs - including three in the same game against San Jose State University in the nightcap. She pushed her season total to 13 and her career total to 26, moving her to within 12 of second place all-time at the school. She became the first player to hit three home runs in a game for the Trojans since Stacy Dwyer accomplished the feat against Southeastern Louisiana in 2004.

TROY 14, SAN JOSE STATE 9
The Trojans scored in six of the seven innings last Saturday night and into early Sunday morning to run away from San Jose State in the fourth of five games in the Eller Media Classic.

Troy (12-6) ended a three-game losing streak by scoring three runs in the first inning. Kelly Luquette (St. Amant, La./St. Amant HS) reached on a leadoff error by the Spartans' infield. She advanced to second on a Taylor Smartt (Troy, Ala./Charles Henderson HS) bunt single, but was out at third on a fielder's choice by Nikki Hollett (Melbourne, Australia/Wesley College). With Smartt on second, Hayden Gann (Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS) promptly delivered with an RBI single which scored Smartt and moved Hollett to third. After an RBI groundout by Michelle Hewett (Alford, Fla./Chipola JC) put the Trojans up a pair, Sarah Shields (Schereville, Ind./Lake Central HS) drove in the final run of the inning with an RBI single to left.

The Trojans plated another three runs in the third to push their lead to 6-1, which was highlight by the first of three Hollett home runs on the day. After a Smartt double to lead off the inning, Hollett blasted a two-run home run to left center.

San Jose State trimmed the Trojans' lead to 7-6 when they plated five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning; however, the Trojans responded with seven runs over the next three innings to put the game away.

Troy was was able to score three more in the fifth, highlighted by Kortney Cooper (Dothan, Ala./Northview HS) connected on her second home run of the season that drove in all three runs. They were able to score three more in the sixth when Hollett and Gann went back-to-back for the third time this season.

Smartt and Hollett each collected three hits for the Trojans, highlighting a 15-hit attack that provided five home runs and three doubles. Senior Ashlyn Williams (Hattiesburg, Miss./Oak Grove HS) picked up the win out of the bullpen, working the final two innings of the game and not allowing a base runner as set the Spartans down in order in both innings.

KANSAS 7, TROY 6 (8 innings)
Kansas scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a one-run lead over the Trojans, but it was a single run in the top of the eighth that provided the margin in a 7-6 victory; which handed the Trojans their third straight loss in Las Vegas.

The Trojans led the majority of the contest, taking a 5-0 lead after the third inning behind starter Ashlyn Williams (Hattiesburg, Miss./Oak Grove HS). However, Kansas scored a pair of runs in the sixth to trim the lead to 5-2; before taking a 6-5 lead with the four-run seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Trojans were down to their final out after the first two batters were set down. Junior Nikki Hollett (Melbourne, Australia/Wesley College) stepped to the plate and drove a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall to tie the game at 6-all and send it to extra innings.

In the eighth, Kansas was able to score on a two-strike single up the middle to take a one-run lead. The Trojans had their chance in the bottom half of the seventh when Hayden Gann (Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS) reached third with one out in the inning. After a walk to Melissa Pratt (Tonganoxie, Kan./Highland CC) put runners at the corners, Randi Ashworth (Crosby, Texas/Tallahassee CC) flied out for the final out.

Gann led the Trojans at the plate, going 3-for-4; while Hollett and Ashley Adkins (Tampa, Fla./Robinson HS) each collected a pair of hits in the loss. Williams suffered the loss in a complete-game effort, allowing just four earned runs in her eight innings of work; while striking out 12 on 147 pitches.

The Trojans close out the Eller Media Classic at 10 am local time against a familiar opponent in Bradley University. The two met earlier this year in Troy, with the Trojans coming out on top 8-7 in nine innings.

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