Softball Splits Conference Home Opener

Saturday, March 18

Troy, Ala.

1 PM

Troy University

14-14, 0

Georgia State

16-10, 0

Georgia State

Troy

3/18/2017 7:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Grace Bolin

TROY, Alabama – Troy (14-15, 2-3) split its conference home opener against Georgia State on Saturday at the Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans defeated the Panthers in game one 4-3, but fell just short in game two, as Georgia State took home the 6-5 win.

Game one: Troy 4, Georgia State 3
Georgia State (17-10, 4-1) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first scoring two runs off of a double from catcher Ivie Drake and a single from Megan Litumbe. The Trojans were not able to answer back right away, but did put a run on the board in the second as Erica Davis scored on a Panther throwing error.

After a scoreless third, Troy stepped up and took all the momentum from the Panthers. Senior Jordan Gray led off the inning with a solo home run, her second of the year. Brooke Echols was able to get on base from a Georgia State fielding error, and Becca Hartley stepped up and did what she does best. The team's home run leader crushed her eighth of the season to give Troy a 4-2 lead.

The Panthers were able to cut into the Trojans' lead after a runner scored in the top of the sixth, but the Troy defense got out of the inning with no more damage done to end the game and ruin the Panthers perfect conference record.

In the circle, sophomore Claire Graves earned the start and the win. She threw a complete game, her fifth complete game of the season. She now moves to 7-2 and has an ERA of 2.73.

Game two: Troy 5, Georgia State 6

Game two came down to the wire as Troy had the tying run on third and the winning run on second, but it couldn't quite get the hits to take the series.

Georgia State took an early lead again, but Troy was quick to answer back in the bottom of the first after a critical Panther error allowed two runners to score for the Trojans. Troy took a 2-1 lead after one.

A big third inning for Georgia State propelled the Panthers to a 5-2 lead after a three run home run and an additional run crossed the plate.

The Trojans continued to put up a big fight as two home runs in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 5-5. Echols got on base with a walk and Hartley launched her second home run of the day to put Troy within one. With one out, Stephanie Snyder launched the second homer of the inning, and her second of the season, putting the Trojans level with the Panthers.

Georgia State was able to take the lead as a single to the shortstop scored a run that Troy could not find an answer to, to give the Panthers the tight 6-5 win and even the series.
Rachel Rigney Brown got her first start in the circle since game one against Georgia Southern. She pitched 5.1 innings before handing It over to Peyton Glover who completed the game. Rigney Brown threw two strikeouts on the day.

NOTEWORTHY
• Troy is now 33-20 all-time against Georgia State. They look to win the series tomorrow at noon.
• Hartley now leads the team in batting average (.337), home runs (9), runs (26) and RBIs (25).
• Erica Davis leads the team with seven doubles. Three players have hit six doubles this season, while nine players have multiple doubles on the year. Troy posted a team high five doubles in game two against the Panthers.
• Hartley now has three games where she has four RBIs. She leads the team in multiple RBI games with six.
• Katie Webb is riding a five game hitting streak, a current team high.

UP NEXT
Troy looks to close out the series with a win tomorrow at noon, before hosting a mid week tilt with in-state foe UAB on Tuesday March 21 at 6 p.m.

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