TROY Falls in Series Finale

Saturday, April 23

Murfreesboro, TN

12 noon

Troy University

Middle Tennessee State University

Photo by: Troy University

4/23/2011 2:59:34 PM | Softball

Trojans need just one win next weekend to assure a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament

By: Travis Jarome

Box Score

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (TroyTrojans.com) – The Troy University softball team could not overcome an early deficit, falling to Middle Tennessee State University 2-1 in Sun Belt Conference action at Blue Raider Field on Saturday afternoon.

TROY (28-23, 9-10 Sun Belt) needs just one win next weekend to assure a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with five games remaining on the schedule. The Trojans travel to Denton to face the University of North Texas in a crucial weekend series beginning next Saturday.

Freshman Taylor Smartt led the Trojans at the plate, as she picked up a career-high three hits – as she went 3-for-4; while Michelle Hewett went 2-for-3 to help pace the nine-hit attack on the afternoon. Ashlyn Williams (15-13) suffered the loss, despite allowing just five hits – she also recorded six strikeouts on the afternoon, which places her in the Top 25 all-time in career strikeouts in NCAA Division I history.

With her 13 strikeouts this weekend, Williams moves into a tie with Kylie Reynolds of Kent State (2007-10) for 20th all-time. She has now recorded 1,258 career strikeouts – the fourth-most recorded among Sun Belt Conference pitchers.

Middle Tennessee (16-28, 7-14 Sun Belt) jumped on top early in the contest after each team went down quietly in the first inning. After a lead-off single by Corrie Abel, the Blue Raiders Kelsey Woodruff tomahawked a rise ball by Williams; getting the ball into the jet stream and narrowly clearing the fence in left for a two-run home run.

The Trojans answered back in the third inning, plating a single run. Kelly Luquette was hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning, and moved to second when Michelle Hewett dropped down a bunt to put runners at first and second with no outs. Junior Nikki Hollett loaded the bases as she beat out an infield hit to third, before Luquette scored on a sacrifice fly by Sarah Harris to left; trimming the lead to 2-1.

TROY had several chances to tie the contest, getting runners in scoring position in six different innings. The Trojans threatened in each the sixth and seventh innings to plate a run, but were unable to do so, leaving runners at second in each inning.

Janele Robinson pitched a complete-game for Middle Tennessee, allowing one run off of nine hits, while walking two. She did not strike out a Trojan batter on the afternoon.

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