Troy Closes Weekend with Two Wins

Sunday, February 19

Troy, Ala.

8:30 a.m.

Troy University

Ball State University

Photo by: Troy University

2/19/2012 3:45:00 PM | Softball

By: Matt Mays

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

TROY, Ala. – The Troy softball team closed out the Quality Inn Classic with two come from behind wins on Sunday as they close out a rain-soaked weekend at the Troy Softball Complex.

The Trojans (7-1) defeated Ball State (2-2) in their first game after scoring in nine innings after scoring in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra frames.

Troy then defeated tournament champion EKU (3-1) in their second game, 5-4. The Trojans finished the tournament with a 2-1 mark after having games against ETSU and Nicholls State washed out.

EKU finished the weekend with a 3-1 record as did Missouri but EKU won the tiebreaker thanks to their win over Missouri on Saturday morning.

The Trojans now return to the diamond on Wednesday when they travel to take on Florida A&M in a mid-week doubleheader. For more information on Troy Athletics, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com.

Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or become fans at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.

TROY 7, BALL STATE 4 (9 innings)

Sarah Thomas threw 5.2 shutout innings to help Troy come from behind in a nine-inning, 7-4 win over Ball State to open up action at the Quality Inn Classic on Sunday.

Ashley Rainey got the start for Troy but was shaky through her 3.1 innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits. Despite the rough start, Rainey redeemed herself for the Trojans with her second home run of the season in the ninth inning.

After Michelle Hewett was placed on second due to the international tiebreaker rule, Nikki Hollett put down a sacrifice bunt that moved Hewett to third. Hayden Gann was intentionally walked, but after Taylor Smartt struck out, the weight was placed on Rainey's shoulder.

The true freshman responded by putting Audrey Workman's 1-0 offering over the left field porch to give Troy the 7-4 win.

Thomas (2-0) picked up the win for Troy after replacing Rainey in the fourth inning. She gave up no runs and just two hits over 5.2 innings

The first inning was an explosive one as the two teams combined to hit four home runs. Ball State's leadoff batter reached on single, and a after a fielder's choice and a ground out, Taylor Rager hit a two-run home to give Ball State the early lead.

Amanda Montalto made it back-to-back home runs to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

Troy answered in the bottom of the frame as leadoff batter Hannah Renn hit a solo shot to right center field to cut the lead to 3-1. Just three batters later, Nikki Hollett hit her first home run of the season to cut the lead to 3-2.

The Cardinals tacked on an unearned run in the second inning after the leadoff batter reached on an error to make the score 4-2.

The Trojans got a run back in fifth inning as Michelle Hewett led off the inning with a bunt single and came in on Hayden Gann's RBI double.

Troy used an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings as Hewett scored on an errant throw on a bunt attempt.

Hewett and Hollett each had two hits for Troy who had seven as a team compared to Ball State's eight.

TROY 5, EKU 4

Troy fell behind early again by giving two runs in the top of the first to the Colonels, but this time the Trojans didn't waste any time as they responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame.

With one down, Hewett again got things started with a single and a stolen base to move into scoring position. Hollett doubled down the line to give the Trojans their first run, but Troy wasn't done. Taylor Smartt singled to score Hollett and then scored on a wild pitch to give Troy a 3-2 lead.

Troy tacked on one more run in the fourth thanks to a solo shot from Sarah Shields and one in the fifth after an RBI double by Rainey scored Smartt to give Troy a 5-2 lead.

The Trojans hung on after EKU made a rally and scored two runs in the sixth.

Jaycee Affeldt (2-1) went six innings for Troy to pick up the win with nine strikeouts and just one walk whil Thomas pitched the seventh inning to pick up her first career save.

Leanna Pittsenbarger (1-1) was tagged with the loss for EKU who won the Quality Inn Classic with a 3-1 record. Missouri also finished 3-1 but EKU won the head-to-head tiebreaker due to their win over the Tigers on Saturday.

Hewett and Smartt each had two hits for the Trojans who pounded out 10 as a team.