Troy Sweeps Day Two of Tiger Invitational

Saturday, February 23

Auburn, Ala.

9 AM

Troy University

11-4

Eastern Illinois

3-9

Eastern Illinois

Troy

2/23/2019 3:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game One Box Score (PDF)Game Two Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

AUBURN, Alabama – Leanna Johnson's dominance in the circle continues after scattering two hits and recording 14 strikeouts to down Villanova, 6-1. Troy opened play Saturday morning at Auburn's Jane B. Moore Field with a gritty win against Eastern Illinois, 4-3.

Johnson finished the day with 17 strikeouts bringing her tally up to 31 strikeouts on the weekend. Katie Lively and Bailey Taylor both recorded a pair of RBIs to lead the Trojans' offensive efforts.

""I was really proud of the fight and grit we showed today in two hard fought wins," said head coach Beth Mullins. "Our pitching staff was amazing along with our defense behind them and we capped it off with some timely hitting."

Game One: Troy 4, Eastern Illinois 3

The Trojans (12-4) started off early in the bottom of the second when Brooke Echols got aboard from a walk. Kaylee Hussey stepped up and sent a shot to centerfield scoring Echols and putting Troy on the board.

Troy added another in the bottom of the third. Logan Calhoun single to right center and Katie Webb followed with a monster hit to left center earning her a triple and an RBI.

A leadoff walk followed by a double by Hannah Cravens scored Morgan Lamore for the Panthers (3-9) in the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Troy answered with back-to-back hits and a hit by pitch to load the bases for Katie Lively. Lively's single to centerfield scored two more for the Trojans.

Eastern Illinois refused to back down and added two runs in the top of the seventh to put the game within one. A double by Megan Burton followed by a sacrifice fly and single put the game back within reach.

Troy went scoreless in the bottom of the inning, but the Trojans sat down the Panthers in order to give Troy its 11^th victory of the season.

Annie Willis (5-2) picks her fifth win of the season while Leanna Johnson (7-1) added a save to her stat line. Eastern Illinois' Jade Montgomery (0-5) falls to 0-5 on the season after allowing nine hits, one walk and three hit by pitches.

Game Two: Troy 6, Villanova 1

Through the first five innings of play, Johnson held onto a no-hitter after sitting down 11 batters.

Katie Lively hit a single to score Truitt, who led off with a walk, to put Troy on the board in the top of the first.

Another leadoff walk by Truitt followed by Katie Webb drawing a walk set up Taylor with runners on. Taylor's shot into left field score Truitt adding another run for Troy.

Troy would continue to add runs in the top of the next three innings off of hits by Stephanie, Snyder, Truitt, Hope Hernandez, Kaylee Hussey, and Taylor.

Leanna Johnson's no-hitter came to an end in the bottom of the sixth when Jordan Olivarez doubled down the left field line to score Paige Rauch.

Troy held on to its five-run advantage through the bottom of the seventh despite Villanova (4-4) adding another hit.

Johnson (7-1) added another win and 17 strikeouts to her resume after recording three in the first game and 14 in the second. The Trojans handed Paige Rauch (4-1) her first loss of the season after recording 6 runs off of 8 hits in the game.

Troy's final game of the Tiger Invitational will be tomorrow at 2 p.m where Troy will square off against the host Auburn Tigers.

Notes

Bailey Taylor entered the weekend 6^th nationally in RBIs with 17. Taylor added two more in today's game against Villanova.
Freshman Leanna Johnson has now sat down 77 batters this season.