Troy Splits on Opening Day of the Trojan Classic

Friday, February 8

Troy, Ala.

3 PM

Troy University

1-0

Maryland

1-1

Maryland

Troy

Troy Splits on Opening Day of the Trojan Classic

2/8/2019 9:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game One Box Score (PDF)Game Two Box Score (PDF)Troy vs. Maryland Highlights Troy vs. Alabama Photo Gallery

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Alabama – The Troy softball team opened its season by splitting a doubleheader Friday evening at the Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans knocked off Maryland, 4-3, in the season opener before dropping a tough 7-1 decision to No. 9 Alabama in the nightcap.

Madeline Porter led Troy's offensive attack with a pair of hits including a bases-clearing double in the opener against Maryland, while Stephanie Snyder also had a run-scoring double. Freshman Leanna Johnson struck out seven batters in her debut for Troy (1-1) against the Terps.

"I thought it was a good day," head coach Beth Mullins said. "Our girls showed a lot of excitement out there. We got some of the nerves out and had some key hits. Leanna Johnson threw a great game; she kept us in the ball game. Annie Willis did the same thing in the Alabama game. We had a few mistakes and didn't make enough adjustments at the plate, but we are going to get past today win or lose. We have two more ball games to play tomorrow."

The Trojans are right back at it on Saturday with a pair of games beginning with Maryland (1-1) at 3 p.m. before closing the day against Murray State (0-2) at 5:30 p.m.

Game One: Troy 4, Maryland 3
The game was a battle between the defenses with the first run of the game not coming until the bottom of the fifth inning.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Kelly Horne singled up the middle to kick start Troy's late game rally. Allie Miller checked in to pinch run and stole second and Hope Hernandez drew a walk to load the bases. Bailey Taylor, who entered as a pinch hitter, put Troy on the board with a single through the left side of the infield to score Miller. Two batters later, Madeline Porter ripped a double over the center fielders' head to score three runs to put Troy up 4-0.

Maryland battled back to within one in the home half of the sixth inning on a three-run home run from Anna Kufta.

Freshman Leanna Johnson (1-0) started in the circle for the Trojans and recorded seven strikeouts and scattered six hits over 5.2 innings of work. Kynsley Rae Blasingame took over with the tying run on base in the sixth inning and held the Terps at bay to notch the save.

Game Two: Troy 7, Alabama 1
In the top of the second, Claire Jenkins gave Alabama the lead for good with a 2-run home run following a Merris Schroder walk.

The Trojans cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth after Stephanie Synder laced a double to right-center field to score Taylor Corbett.

Alabama answered in the top of the fifth with two runs and added three more in the top of the seventh to pull away for the victory.

Annie Willis (0-1) started in the circle for the Trojans and allowed four runs on six hits over 4.1 innings of work before Kynsley Rae Blasingame and Peyton Glover closed out the game.

Montana Fouts (1-0) struck out nine in a complete game effort for Alabama while KB Sides and Kaylee Tow each had two hits.