Troy Falls to SIU-Edwardsville, Rallies to Knock Off Tennessee State

Saturday, February 9

Starkville, Miss.

11:00 a.m.

Troy University

SIU-Edwardsville

Troy Falls to SIU-Edwardsville, Rallies to Knock Off Tennessee State

2/9/2013 4:27:00 PM | Softball

By: Tyler Pigg

Box Score (Game One)

Box Score (Game Two)

STARKVILLE, Miss. – After losing its first game of the day to SIU-Edwardsville, the Troy softball team rebounded and concluded the Bulldog Kickoff Classic with a 7-3 win over Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon.

Troy used a three-run in the fifth inning to jump ahead of Tennessee State (0-2) after falling behind early to the Tigers. Caitlin Ortiz's RBI double to drive in McAllister, who reached on an error to tie the game at 3-3. Three batters later, Smartt drove in two Trojans with a RBI single to right field that plated Amanda Winters and Brittany Russ for the go-ahead runs.

The Trojans (2-2) tacked on two more runs in the next frame, as Chandler Griffin and Russ used RBI singles to extend Troy's lead to 7-3.

Rachel Rigney's (1-1) first-ever complete game performance earned the freshman her first collegiate win. The Alabaster, Ala. native allowed four hits and three runs, while striking out three Tennessee State hitters. Rigney allowed all of her three runs in the third inning and did not allow hit over the final four innings of her outing.

Freshman Brittany Russ led the Trojans at the plate by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Renn continued her hot hitting as the senior added a double and a RBI against the Tigers, while Griffin picked up her second straight mulit-hit game with a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Troy scattered ten hits, including seven out of nine starters recor on the afternoon against Tennessee State.

In game one, SIU-Edwardsville's (2-1) Brittany Toney broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third with a bases clearing two-out double to left center that plated three Cougars en route to a 11-3 win over the Trojans in five innings.

Troy got on the board in the bottom half with a solo home run off the bat of Renn, her first of the year. After Griffin doubled to the left center gap, Ortiz brought Griffin around with a two-out single up the middle.

The Cougars answered back in the top of the fourth with three-run blast by Samantha Stancik and later added a grand slam in the top of the fifth off the bat of CC Hutchinson to push its lead to 11-2.

Troy scratched a run in the bottom of the fifth, as Ortiz drove in Renn, who doubled to start the inning, but could not muster more runs in the 11-3 loss. Renn and Ortiz were the offensive bright spots for Troy, as the senior finished a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ortiz finished 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Griffin picked up her first career multi-hit game against the Cougars.

Rigney took the loss for Troy, allowing five runs over four innings, giving up six hits and striking out three, while SIU-Edwardsville's Haley Chambers threw a complete game against the Trojans, allowing three earned runs while striking out 10.

Troy finishes the Bulldog Kickoff Classic with a 2-2 record and the Trojans travel to Tallahassee, Fla. for a midweek contest to take on no. 24 Florida State on Tuesday, February 12 at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3/WatchESPN. Troy defeated the Seminoles last season at the Troy Softball Complex.

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 Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.