Softball Splits Mid-Week Road Trip at FAMU

Tuesday, February 28

Tallahassee, Fla.

3 PM

Troy University

10-6

Florida A&M

1-15-1

Troy

Florida A&M

Softball Splits Mid-Week Road Trip at FAMU

2/28/2017 9:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Grace Bolin

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.- Troy split its mid-week double header against the Florida A&M Rattlers on Tuesday. The Trojans came out strong and defeated the Rattlers 4-0 in game one, but a back and forth rally fell in favor to the Rattlers in game two as they defeated Troy 6-5. Troy moves to 10-7 on the season.

In game one, all four of Troy's runs came early as the Trojans took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. An early walk and error from the Rattlers gave the Trojans their first run of the night with two runners still on base. A two RBI double from Madeline Porter gave the Trojans a three run lead with two outs. Kaylee hussy hits a single up the middle to score Porter o put the Trojans up by four before the Rattlers could get out of the inning.

Fly balls plagued the Trojans as they were unable to get any more hits after the first inning after recording 13 fly outs in the remainder of the game.

Florida A&M could not handle the strong pitching from Claire Graves as they only got two hits in game one. A double into left field by Jamesia Stoudemire and a base hit by Alexis Day in the bottom of the sixth put runners on base, but the Rattlers could not convert as the Troy defense was able to end the inning.

With that win, Claire Graves picked up her second complete game and moved to 4-1 on the season with 52.1 innings pitched and 17 strikeouts.

Game two saw five lead changes and came down to the final at-bat for the Trojans. With the tying run on third and two outs, Maddie Porter put down a great ground ball to third base, but the Rattlers' defense pulled through to record the final out of the game.

Florida A&M took a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a two run home run from Toni Anderson, but the Trojans were quick to respond with three runs of their own in the top of the third. Stephanie Snyder singled to the pitcher and drove in a run, while a Meg Willis two RBI single allowed Troy to take a 3-2 lead.

The game went back in favor of the Rattlers in the bottom of the third after a Troy fielding error allowed two runs to score. Brooke Echols hit her fourth double of the season to give the Trojans a runner in scoring position, but Troy could not convert.

A Willis solo home run gave the Trojans their second lead of the night and a single from Echols drove in another run to give Troy a 5-4 lead.

The Rattlers did not stop battling as they regained the lead for the final time in the bottom of the fifth after a walk and a single put two runners on base. A two RBI single to center field from Tahli Snider sealed the game for FAMU as they took a 6-5 lead heading into the sixth.

Peyton Glover earned the start in the circle and threw four strikeouts through four innings of work before senior Rachel Rigney came in. Rigney pitched two innings and did not allow a hit or a run. She threw three strikeouts to give her 21 strikeouts on the season.

NOTEWORTHY
• Meg Willis hit her third home run of the year and the 10^th of her career. She had a team-high three RBIs in game two of the double header
• Becca Hartley has reached base in 17 consecutive games, the longest of any current player.
• The Trojans featured their black on black uniforms for the first time this season.

UP NEXT
Troy will close out tournament play for the year as they travel to Baton Rouge, La., to compete in the LSU Tournament March 3-5. The Trojans will face Minnesota, Illinois State, Illinois and LSU on the trip before heading to Mississippi State to take on the Bulldogs for a mid-week matchup.

For more on Troy softball, visit TroyTrojans.com and follow @TroyAthletics and @TroyTrojansSB on Twitter.