Troy Sweeps Double-Dip from Southern Illinois, Purdue-Fort Wayne

Saturday, February 12

Troy, Ala.

1:30 p.m.

Troy University

2-1

Southern Illinois

2-2

Southern Illinois

Troy

Troy Sweeps Double-Dip from Southern Illinois, Purdue-Fort Wayne

2/12/2022 6:37:00 PM | Softball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Troy hit five home runs, including three in the opener, to power past Southern Illinois and Purdue-Fort Wayne Saturday afternoon on day two of the Trojan Classic at the Troy Softball Complex.

Troy moves to 3-1 on the young season, having won three straight games, including two over Southern Illinois, which played in the NCAA Tournament last season. Kelly Horne homered twice on the day and added a double to lead the Troy offensive attack.

Game One – Troy 4, Southern Illinois 2

For the second time in as many games, Jade Sinness came up with the big hit for the Trojans late in a ball game. The sophomore center fielder hammered a lead-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to power Troy to a 4-2 victory over Southern Illinois in the Trojans' opening game of the day.

Sinness' home run, Troy's third of the game, came a half inning after the Salukis' tied the game on a two-run home run from Jenny Jansen. Sinness hit a game-winning double in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday night against Southern Illinois.

Audra Thompson plated an insurance run for the Trojans later in the frame with an infield single scoring Kaylee Chapman, who was in the game running for Kelly Horne after she doubled with one out.

The Trojans wasted no time putting a crooked number on the board Saturday. Horne, who led Troy with eight home runs a year ago, blasted a 3-2 offering from Sarah Harness over the wall in left-center field for her first homer of the year. Libby Baker followed four pitches later with a towering shot to straightaway center field despite a stiff wind blowing in.

Leanna Johnson (2-0) was dominant in the circle as usual for the Trojans as she struck out eight and allowed just a pair of runs on three hits to pick up the win. Johnson has now struck out 28 batters in just 17 innings of work this season in a pair of starts and one relief appearance.

The only time Salukis had a runner in scoring position came in the third when Johnson stranded runners at second and third with one of her eight strikeouts in the game.

Harness (1-1) suffered her first loss of the season after allowing four runs on five hits over six innings of work; she struck out five and walked one.

Game Two – Troy 9, Purdue-Fort Wayne 1
Troy put up crooked numbers in three innings en route to a 9-1 victory over Purdue-Fort Wayne (0-4) in five innings in the nightcap. The Trojans pounded out nine hits, with seven going for extra bases in the victory.

Anslee Finch, Sinness and Thompson had two hits each for the Trojans to pace the offensive attack, while Baker, who drove in a pair of runs, picked up her first win of the season in the circle.

Horne and Katelynn de Leon provided the power for the Trojans with a pair of 2-run home runs. De Leon's blast, her first of the year, came in the middle of a four-run third inning for the Trojans, while Horne's came in a three-run fifth.

Sinness walked twice and scored twice to go along with her two hits, while Thompson drove home a pair of runs and Finch doubled twice.

Baker (1-0) scattered four hits and struck out a career-high 12. Shaina Eyre (0-2) took the loss for IPFW after allowing six runs on five hits in 2.2 innings of work.

They Said It – Interim Co-Head Coach Taylor Smartt
"It was a very solid day today. We came out this morning and played a good game against SIU, which is a gritty team. We continued to fight, Leanna threw a heck of a game, and we had some clutch home runs. In the second game, we had a lot of people get opportunities for the first time, and they contributed and helped us get a nice team win."

Next Up
Troy wraps up play in the season-opening Trojan Classic Sunday against Purdue-Fort Wayne. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Troy Softball Complex.