Troy Softball Sweeps Doubleheader Over Appalachian State

Friday, April 15

Troy, Ala.

3 p.m.

Troy University

24-13, 9-7

Appalachian State

23-17, 7-8

Appalachian State

Troy

Troy Softball Sweeps Doubleheader Over Appalachian State

4/15/2022 8:51:00 PM | Softball

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

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Powered by an impressive 7-for-8 outing at the plate by junior Kelly Horne, the Trojans downed Appalachian State in both games of the doubleheader, 6-2, 7-3, to earn the series sweep Friday at the Troy Softball Complex.

Horne tallied seven hits, including her 10^th home run of the season, to lead Troy (25-13, 11-7 Sun Belt) to its first series sweep of the season.

Game One: Troy 6, Appalachian State 2
Leanna Johnson (15-7) threw 6.2 shutout innings in the circle, and Kelly Horne was a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish with a pair of RBIs to lead Troy past App State (23-18, 7-0 Sun Belt), 6-2, in the opener of the doubleheader.

Johnson's shutout bid ended with two outs in the top of the seventh inning on a wild pitch followed by an RBI single to left field; the runs were unearned after an error with two outs extended the frame. The Trojan right-hander struck out seven and scattered nine hits to move to 16-7 on the year.

Kennedi Gaton put the Trojans on the board in the second, ripping a double to right-center field to score Anslee Finch after she led off the frame with a single. Horne pulled a single down the line in left to plate Gaton following a pair of outs.

The game stayed steady until the fifth, when the Trojans put another crooked number on the board thanks to a 2-run double to left-center by Katie Lively and a run-scoring double by Finch. Four of Troy's 12 hits went for extra-bases.

Horne added an insurance run for the Trojans in the sixth with a single back up the middle after Candela Figueroa led off the home half of the inning with a double to left. Horne's 4-for-4 afternoon pushed her average over the .400 mark for the season, settling at .408.

Kayt Houston, Baylee Morton and Addie Wray all had a pair of hits to pace the App State offensive attack, which consisted of nine singles. Sejal Neas (6-2) was saddled with the loss in the circle after she allowed five runs – all earned – on nine hits.

Game Two: Troy 7, Appalachian State 3
The Mountaineers struck first in the top of the opening frame with a pair of runs off back-to-back singles from Kayt Houston and Mary Pierce Barnes.

However, after a quiet second inning, Troy's offense rallied back for three runs off five hits in the bottom of the third to take the lead once and for all.

Horne continued her monster day, smashing a lead off solo home run over the left-field wall to cut Troy's deficit in half.

Back-to-back singles off the bat of Jade Sinness and Taylor McKinney set up Anslee Finch for a sacrifice bunt. With runners in scoring position, a sacrifice fly and a double to deep right-center by Katie Lively plated two runs for the good guys.

Libby Baker (7-4) caught her stride in the second inning, allowing just a pair of walks through the next three frames.

Troy's offense added a pair of scores in the bottom of the fourth when Sinness rocketed a two-run long ball over the right-center wall. The Trojans then tacked on a run in the home half of the fifth and sixth inning to take a 7-2 lead into the final frame.

App State's offense sparked some momentum in the seventh, plating a run off a single from Barnes and a double from Bailee Morton; however, Baker had the final say, fanning the final batter of the game to earn her seventh win of the season.

Delani Buckner (10-8) suffered the loss for the Mountaineers after giving up five runs off nine hits and a walk.

Quotable – Co-Interim Head Coach Taylor Smartt
"I am really proud of the grit we showed today. It is always great to pick up the sweep in front of our home crowd. Leanna and Libby tossed two really great games today and set us up well for success. Kelly led our offense today in the leadoff spot, and we managed to string together hits all through the lineup."

Notable

With her 11 strikeouts in game two, Libby Baker notched just the second double-digit strikeout contest of her career.
On the weekend, Kelly Horne led the Trojans offensively batting at a .800 mark with a pair of extra-base hits.
After a pinch-hit, base-clearing double, Katie Lively entered the starting lineup as the designated player in game two. The junior then went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Next Up
Troy will trek to the peach state to take on Georgia Tech. Tuesday's first pitch is slated for 5 p.m.