Trojans Sweep Middle Tennessee to Clinch Series

Saturday, April 21

Troy, Ala.

11:00 a.m.

Troy University

Middle Tennessee State University

Photo by: Edward Fieder

Trojans Sweep Middle Tennessee to Clinch Series

4/21/2012 3:52:00 PM | Softball

By: Matt Mays

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

TROY, Ala. – The Troy softball team held on in game one and had to come from behind in game two to sweep a doubleheader from Middle Tennessee on Saturday, clinching the Sun Belt series from the Blue Raiders.

Sarah Shields and Michelle Hewett each had four hits for the Trojans who strung out 20 hits in the two games combined. Hewett also picked up a combined three RBI and four stolen bases on the day.

Ashley Rainey got the win in Troy's 5-4 victory in game one while Jaycee Affeldt was the beneficiary of a come-from-behind effort in game two's 8-3 win for the Trojans.

The two wins pushed the Trojans (30-16, 9-9) over the 30-win mark for the second straight season as they go for the sweep on Sunday. Middle Tennessee (13-29, 3-14) has now lost 14 of their last 15.

The Trojans and Blue Raiders close out their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. For more information on Troy Athletics, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.

GAME ONE – Troy 5, Middle Tennessee 4

The Trojans had to hold on late, but they did just that in a 5-4 win over Middle Tennessee in game one. Troy scored all five of their runs in the first three innings and had to hold on as the Blue Raiders scored two in the sixth and two in the seventh.

The Trojans scored five runs in the first three innings off of Shelby Stinnett (5-8), but couldn't solve Caitlin McClure who threw an effective 4.0 innings of relief for the Blue Raiders.

Rainey (16-8) threw her 17th complete game of the season as she walked just one, but it was costly as the next batter homered in the sixth inning to cut Troy's lead to 5-2. Rainey ran into trouble in the seventh with a hit batter and three singles as Middle Tennessee threatened to tie the game.

Shields was 3-for-3 for the Trojans while Hewett and Hayden Gann each had two hits.

The Trojans manufactured the first run of the game in the first inning as Michelle Hewett led things off with an infield single. After stealing second base, Hewett moved to third with Kelly Luquette's sacrifice bunt. Nikki Hollett then delivered a sacrifice fly to center to score Hewett and give Troy a 1-0 lead.

Troy tacked on two more in the second inning thanks to a two-run homer from Hewett. The blast to straight away centerfield scored Sarah Harris who reached on a fielder's choice after Rainey was walked.

The Trojans put things away with two more runs in the third inning thanks to three straight singles to lead off the inning. Hollett picked up the first and moved to third when Gann singled to right field. Gann advanced to second as the Blue Raiders tried to throw out Hollett at third and Sarah Shields delivered the single that plated both and gave Troy a 5-0 lead.

Shields' RBI single chased Stinnett in favor of Caitlin McClure who was effective for the Blue Raiders, retiring seven straight after she walked Caitlin Ortiz, the first batter she faced. Shields doubled with one out in the fifth to end the string for McClure.

Middle Tennessee got two runs back in the sixth as Kaycee Popham hit her ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot off of Rainey over the leftfield porch.

The Blue Raiders loaded the bases in the seventh inning with a hit batter and two singles before an RBI single from Natalie Ysais put the Blue Raiders within one at 5-4. Rainey got Chelsea Good to pop up with the bases loaded and two outs to end the game.

GAME TWO – Troy 8, Middle Tennessee 3

This time it was the Trojans who struck late as a five-run fifth inning was the difference in an 8-3 win for Troy in game two. Troy entered the fifth trailing Middle Tennessee 3-1 but used six singles to take a 6-3 lead before tacking on two more in the sixth inning.

Hannah Renn, Hewett, Luquette and Hollett all had two hits for the Trojans who pounded out 11 as a team. Troy tagged MT starter Caty Jutson (6-15) with six runs, five earned, on seven hits while the final two runs came off of McClure.

Affeldt (9-7) picked up the win for Troy after her sixth complete game of the year as she gave up three runs, all earned, on eight hits.

This time the Blue Raiders struck first with two in the third inning. Two bloop singles by the Blue Raiders put runners on first and second before Chelsea Good hit a solid double to right center to plate the two runs and give Middle Tennessee a 2-0 lead.

Troy got one run back in the bottom of the inning after Sarah Harris drew a leadoff walk. Hannah Renn hit into a fielder's choice and then stole second base before coming around to score on Hewett's RBI single.

Middle Tennessee went ahead 3-1 in the fourth inning thanks a Troy error on a pickoff attempt at second base helped Nina Dever score.

The Trojans didn't give in as they put up five runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Troy sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and picked up six hits, all singles, plus one Middle Tennessee error as they took control of the game.

The Trojans loaded the bases to start the inning after singles from Harris, Renn and a bunt single from Hewett. Luquette then delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to tie things up at 3-3. After Hollett grounded out to move Luquette and Hewett to second and third, Gann put down a perfect squeeze bunt.

Hewett scored from third easily, but Jutson's throw to first base was high, moving Gann to third and scoring Luquette to give Troy a 5-3 lead. Shields added an RBI center to score Gann and put Troy up 6-3 moving to the sixth inning.

McClure came on to halt the damage in the fifth but Troy hit her for two runs in the sixth, beginning with Renn's leadoff solo home run. Hewett then singled before stealing second base and third base to set up an RBI single for Hollett to put Troy up 8-3