Troy Falls Twice in Saturday Doubleheader Against WKU

Saturday, April 20

Troy, Ala.

12:00 p.m.

Troy University

Western Kentucky

Photo by: Joshua Thurston

Troy Falls Twice in Saturday Doubleheader Against WKU

4/20/2013 4:59:00 PM | Softball

By: Tyler Pigg

Box Score (Game One) l Box Score (Game Two)

TROY, Ala. – WKU combined to hold Troy to just one run in two games, picking up a pair of complete-game performances in each game to sweep the Trojans in Saturday's doubleheader to open the three-game series.

The Lady Toppers (30-13, 14-3) broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the sixth, scoring eight runs off a pair of Troy (20-25, 7-9 Sun Belt) pitchers to take game one, 9-1 in six innings. Emily Rousseau picked up the victory holding the Trojans to just one run, four hits and struck out ten.

Despite Jaycee Affeldt's performance in the circle for the Trojans, an RBI single by WKU's Ciara Garcia and two Troy errors led to pair of unearned runs for the Lady Toppers haunted the Trojans in a 3-0 loss in the second game of the doubleheader. WKU starter Mallorie Sulaski matched Affeldt pitch-for-pitch by tossing a complete-game shutout while striking out seven to earn the victory.

For WKU, Olivia Watkins combined for a 6-for-8 day at the plate scoring two runs, while Garcia finished 2-for-6 with four RBIs in the doubleheader.

Troy's Kacie McAllister picked up a hit in each game as the junior has now reached safely in 27 of the Trojans' last 29 games, while Caitlin Ortiz's reached-base streak remained intact as the senior picked up one hit in each game, including her league-leading 12^th double of the season in nightcap of the doubleheader, to push the season-long streak to 21 games.

The Trojans and the Lady Toppers wrap up the three-game series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch set for 12 p.m. from the Troy Softball Complex.

Game One – WKU 9, Troy 1 (6 inn.)

Runs were at a premium for both teams through the first innings in game one, but an eight-run sixth by the Lady Toppers allowed WKU to take down Troy 9-1 in six innings in Saturday's first game.
With no outs and the bases loaded, Shawna Sadler's reached on a fielder's choice and drove in a run as Amanda Thomas beat the throw at the plate to give WKU a 2-1 lead. An RBI single by Katrina Metoyer extended the Lady Toppers' lead to 3-1. A Troy error with the bases loaded followed by Ciara Garcia's two-RBI double pushed the WKU lead to 8-1 with just one out. As the Lady Toppers batted around in the frame, a sacrifice fly by Thomas during her second at-bat of the sixth closed out the scoring in the sixth and gave WKU a 9-1 lead heading to the bottom half.

Emily Rousseau (17-5) went all six innings for the Lady Toppers allowing just one run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth. The junior recorded 10 strikeouts and walked a pair in the victory.

Michaela Hamitlon (5-5) held the Lady Toppers to just one run through five innings, but allowed five runs (four earned) in the sixth inning to take the loss. The senior gave up seven hits, six runs while striking out two and walking two.

Kacie McAllister scored the lone run on the Rousseau wild pitch in the fourth and finished 1-for-3 at the plate. Caitlin Ortiz extended her reached base streak with a single up to center in the fourth inning. Taylor Smartt recorded her fifth career triple with a three-bagger to start the second inning. Bailey Blake also added an infield single in the loss.

Game Two – WKU 3, Troy 0
WKU crossed the first run of the game in the top of the third as Ciara Garcia's RBI single off of Troy starter Jaycee Affeldt plated Oliva Watkins to give the Lady Toppers a 1-0 lead.

Affeldt (6-3) took the tough-luck loss for Troy in the circle as the sophomore allowed three runs (one earned) in her seven innings of work. WKU picked up eight hits off of Affeldt, but the right-hander racked up seven strikeouts, a season-high for the sophomore and by a Troy pitcher.

Mallorie Sulaski (9-6) turned in a complete-game performance fanning seven Trojans in the shutout performance. The southpaw gave up just three hits and issued just one walk in the victory.

At the plate, Troy scattered just three hits as McAllister, Ortiz and Griffin recorded base hits for the Trojans. Olivia Watkins finished 3-for-4 at the plate for WKU, while Garcia added a pair of RBIs and added a 1-for-3 performance. Kelsie Mattox finished with two hits, including a double.