Troy Drops Heartbreaker to No. 13 Clemson to End NCAA Run

Saturday, May 22

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

4:45 p.m.

Troy University

37-17

Clemson

44-7

Clemson

Troy

Photo by: Troy Athletics

Troy Drops Heartbreaker to No. 13 Clemson to End NCAA Run

5/22/2021 8:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Bx Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 13 Clemson scored thrice in the top of the seventh inning to squeak past Troy, 4-2, in an elimination game at the Tuscaloosa Regional to end the Trojans' run in its first NCAA Tournament in 25 years.

Morgan Johnson led off the seventh with a pinch-hit double into the gap in left-center and moved to third on what was ruled a passed ball despite the ball appearing to hit Casey Bigham's bat on a bunt attempt. One pitch later, Johnson scored the go-ahead run on a grounder to short. Ansley Gilstrap and Alia Logoleo followed with what turned out to be critically important insurance runs for Clemson (44-7) on a pair of singles to left.

The Trojans (37-16) brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh inning after Logan Calhoun and Jade Sinness led off the frame with back-to-back singles. Calhoun scored one batter later following a Clemson throwing error and Kelly Horne grounder to second. Despite a valiant 12-pitch battle from Katie Webb at the plate, the Trojans couldn't scratch anymore runs off USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year finalist Valerie Cagle.

"I was really proud of the grit and fight we showed," Troy head coach Beth Mullins said. "Libby threw a heck of a game, and our offense put together a lot of quality at-bats. We made a lot of great contact, but we just couldn't get a couple balls to fall in our favor."

Troy (37-16) saw its historic season come to a close with the loss but not without this year's squad etching its name in the school annals. This year's Trojan squad was the first in program history to earn an at-large selection into the NCAA Tournament, they knocked off three Power Five opponents and finished second in a Sun Belt Conference that sent four teams to the NCAA Tournament – the fifth most of any league in the country.

In a rematch from the opening game of the Tuscaloosa Regional, both teams scored unearned runs in the third inning. The ACC champion Tigers benefited from a throwing error to start the frame in their half of the frame, while Troy got on the board when Jade Sinness scored on a throwing error after she led off the home half of the inning with a double and moved to third on a Webb single.

Libby Baker (7-6) suffered the hard-luck loss in the circle for the Trojans after baffling one of the nation's top offenses for six-plus innings. She exited having allowed four runs – three earned – on seven hits with four strikeouts and just one walk – entering the seventh she had allowed just one unearned run on four hits.

Sinness and Kennedi Gaton both finished the game with a pair of hits for the second straight game, while Katie Webb was 1-for-3 to finish her career in sole possession of second place on the Troy career list with 247.

Cagle (28-6) picked up the win in relief after tossing 2.2 innings allowing an unearned run on three hits. Gilstrap was the lone Tigers with multiple hits as she finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in the game.

Notable
• Kelly Horne extended her team-leading reached base streak to 10 games after drawing a walk in the game.
• Katie Webb moved into sole possession of second place all-time in Troy history with her 247^th career hit after a 1-for-2 afternoon.
• Jade Sinness hit her 15^th double of the season to leadoff the third inning, it was her second extra-base hit of the Regional and 24^th of the season. She finished the Regional with four hits in nine at-bats.
Troy's 37 wins on the season matches its best win total since 2009.