Troy Wins Two More, Off to Perfect Start

Saturday, February 11

Hammond, La.

1:30 p.m.

Troy University

Nicholls State University

Photo by: Troy University

2/11/2012 5:00:00 PM | Softball

By: Matt Mays

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

HAMMOND, La. – The Troy softball team continued its run through the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic with two more wins on Saturday as they look to make it a perfect 5-0 weekend with one contest on Sunday.

The Trojans (4-0) defeated Nicholls State in the first game, 3-0, thanks to Ashley Rainey's second complete-game shutout in as many days.

In the second game, the Troy bats came to life as Troy topped Northern Illinois, 10-2, to give Sarah Thomas her first collegiate win, the third Trojan pitcher to do so already on the young season.

The Trojans will close out the Lion Classic on Sunday morning as they take on Akron at 9:00 a.m.

Be sure to check back with TroyTrojans.com for a full recap from that game as well. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or become fans on Facebook.

GAME ONE – TROY 3, NICHOLLS STATE 0

Rainey threw her second complete-game shutout in as many collegiate outings as the Trojans jumped on the Colonels (0-3) early with two first-inning runs.

Kelly Luquette opened the game with a bunt single and advanced to third on a wild pitch and ground out before Nikki Hollett drove her in with a sacrifice fly. Back-to-back singles by Hayden Gann and Taylor Smartt then set up an RBI double from Hannah Renn to give Troy the 2-0 lead.

The Trojans would tack on another run in the third thanks to a Sarah Shields sacrifice fly, but that was more than Rainey (2-0) needed.

The Tuscaloosa native gave up just three hits and one walk as she cruised through the Colonels lineup.

Troy posted seven hits as a team, including five off of starter Rachael Hugghins (0-1) who went 3.1 innings and was tagged with the loss.

Smartt led the Trojans at the plate thanks to a 3-for-4 day.

GAME TWO – TROY 10, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2

A fourth Troy pitcher made her collegiate debut in as many games as Sarah Thomas toed the rubber for the Trojans and was the beneficiary of an explosive Trojan offense.

After a scoreless first inning, things didn't stay that way for long as Troy wasted no time busting the game open with seven runs in the second inning.

Gann singled to get things started and Renn doubled to place the two in scoring position with one out. That is when Jaycee Affeldt delivered a two-RBI double to put Troy on the board first, 2-0. After a fly out put two down in the inning, the Trojans didn't stop.

Sarah Harris singled to put runners at the corners with two down before Kelly Luquette reached on an error to score Affeldt from third. Michelle Hewett, in her first game of the season, then singled to score Harris and put Troy up 4-0.

Luquette would score when Hollett reached on a error to make 5-0 and Gann used a two-RBI double to plate Hewett and Hollett and give Troy a 7-0 lead.

Thomas (1-0) would keep the Huskies (2-1) hitless through four innings before giving way to Affeldt who closed out the final three innings of the game.

Troy tacked on two in the fifth thanks to a Renn leadoff home run and an unearned run to make it 9-0. NIU would get both back in the bottom of the inning thanks to a homer and an unearned run of their own.

Troy added their final run in the seventh as Shields, who reached on a double, scored thanks to a passed ball.

In all, the Trojans pounded out 12 hits, all off of Allyson Hecht (0-1) who went the distance for the Huskies, while NIU picked up just four, including none off of Thomas is her 4.0 innings of work.