Troy Takes the Series Over App State

Sunday, April 25

Boone, N.C.

12 p.m.

Troy University

31-10, 0

Appalachian State

24-12, 0

Troy

App State

4/25/2021 6:44:00 PM | Softball

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

By: Troy Athletics Communications

BOONE, N.C. – For the fifth time this season, Troy earns the series sweep after downing Appalachian State, 3-2 and 8-6, in a doubleheader Sunday at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.

Kelly Horne's long ball in the top of third powered Troy (32-10, 15-3 Sun Belt) to the game one victory before Kennedi Gaton's clutch two-run shot in the top of the seventh secured the series win over App State (24-13, 6-8 Sun Belt).

Due to inclement weather forcing the doubleheader to Sunday, game three of the series will not be played.

Game One: Troy 3, App State 2
The Mountaineers struck first in the bottom of the opening frame with a two-run home run by Kayt Houston.

Troy quickly answered with a pair of runs of its own in the top of the second. Back-to-back singles by Logan Calhoun and Jade Sinness scored Candela Figueroa and Mia Jenkins to knot the game up at two.

Leanna Johnson (18-5) retired the side in the bottom half of the frame to send the game into the third, where Horne blasted her solo shot to give Troy the lead once and for all.

Neither side saw more than one base runner until the bottom of the sixth when App State got a pair on with an error and a single. Both runners were left stranded.

After Calhoun was left stranded in the top of the seventh, Johnson calmly retired the side with the one-run advantage to seal the victory in the opening game of the series.

Johnson earned her 18^th win scattering just two runs, three hits and two walks.

Kenzie Longanecker (12-5) suffered the loss for the Mountaineers after allowing three runs, four hits and a walk.

Game Two: Troy 8, App State 6
With the game tied heading into the seventh, true freshman Kennedi Gaton launched a two-out, two-run shot over the left field wall to give Troy the lead.

Johnson (SV 2) entered in a save situation in the top of the seventh. After forcing a fly out, a walk and a single brought the go-ahead run to the plate for the Mountaineers.

Johnson fanned the final two batters of the seventh to secure the nail-biter victory.

Troy struck first in the top of the opening frame when Katie Webb lifted a solo shot over the center field wall.

App State's Keri White tied the game in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly that scored Mary Pierce Barnes, who led off with a single.

The Mountaineers took their first lead of the game after a quiet plate appearance by the Trojans in the fourth utilizing two singles and an error to score a pair of runs.

The Trojans quickly answered with two runs off hits by Gaton, Katie Lively and Webb in the top of the fifth to even the score.

After entering in relief of Kynsley Rae Blasingame in the fourth, Libby Baker (6-3) retired three of the next four batters faced to send the game into the sixth.

Troy strung together six hits to score three runs in the top of the sixth, but App State retaliated with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to set up Gaton for the game-deciding home run.

Baker earned the win scattering two hits and three runs in 2.2 innings of relief while Johnson picked up her second save fanning two Mountaineers to strand a pair of critical base runners in the seventh.

Delani Buckner (4-3) suffered the loss for App State after entering in the top of the fifth.

QUOTABLE – Head Coach Beth Mullins
"I don't think we played our best softball today, but I am very proud of the grit that we showed to come out with two wins! We are excited to get back to Troy and prepare for the next series."

NOTABLE

The Trojans remain undefeated at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium, improving to 8-0.
For the first time since 2005, Troy has swept five conference series in the same season.
With the Trojans' 15 hits in game two, Troy has recorded its 13^th double-digit hit game of the season.

NEXT UP
Troy returns home for a crucial three-game conference series against Texas State. Game one of the series is set to kick off at 6 p.m. Friday at the Troy Softball Complex.