Trojans Grab Series from FAU

Sunday, April 15

Boca Raton, Fla.

11:00 a.m.

Troy University

Florida Atlantic University

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

4/15/2012 12:54:00 PM | Softball

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Troy softball team scored all five runs with two outs and defeated Florida Atlantic, 5-1, on the road Sunday to capture another Sun Belt series.

Hannah Renn and Nikki Hollett each had two-out, two-RBI triples to help out Ashley Rainey (14-8) who was dialed in after giving up one run in the first inning.

The Trojans (27-16, 7-9) picked up 11 hits as a team while Rainey struck out seven with no walks, giving up five hits to the Owls (13-29, 3-10) in her 15th complete game of the season.

Renn, Hollett and Michelle Hewett all had two hits for the Trojans while Taylor Fawbush was 3-for-3 for the Owls.

Fawbush (5-13) was tagged with the loss after giving up five earned runs on 11 hits in a complete-game effort with three strikeouts and one walk.

After Troy left the bases loaded in their half of the first, Florida Atlantic capitalize on their opportunities with a single run in the bottom of the frame. After a single and a double put two in scoring position with one out, Jordan Stovall delivered a sacrifice fly to deep center to give the Owls the early lead.

Troy jumped out to a lead in fourth inning thanks to three runs, all with two outs. Nikki Hollett got things started with a one-out double and moved to third on a single from Sarah Shields. With two down, Hannah Renn sent a ball over Kimberly Diaz's head for a triple to score Hollett and Shields and put Troy up 2-1.

Michelle Hewett extended the lead with an RBI single to left field to score Renn and put Troy up 3-1.

Rainey settled in through the middle of the game, retiring seven straight before a leadoff double by Fawbush in sixth. The Troy defense and Rainey did a good job of working around the leadoff double as they escaped the inning without a run scoring.

The Trojans added a couple of insurance runs in the seventh thanks to more two-out production. Kelly Luquette led off the frame with a single, but was erased at second after Jaycee Affeldt's fielder choice. Pinch hitter Caitlin Ortiz then delivered a double to place two in scoring position with two down.

Hollett put the icing on the cake with a two-RBI triple to right field to score two and give Troy a 5-1 lead with just half in inning remaining.

Rainey worked a perfect seventh inning to preserve the series win for the Trojans.

The Trojans return to action on Thursday when they host No.21 Florida State at the Troy Softball Complex at 4:00 p.m. Troy will then host Middle Tennessee next weekend in a three-game Sun Belt series.

For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics. For in-game updates from the softball diamond, follow Troy Softball on Twitter at @TroySBall.