Fifth-Inning Rally Powers Troy Past UT Arlington

Wednesday, May 11

Mobile, Ala.

1 p.m.

Troy University

30-19

UT Arlington

22-26

UT Arlington

Troy

Fifth-Inning Rally Powers Troy Past UT Arlington

5/11/2022 4:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

MOBILE, Ala. – Troy utilized a fifth-inning comeback to power past UT Arlington, 2-1, in the opening game of the Sun Belt Tournament Wednesday at Jaguar Field.

Clutch defensive plays and a sacrifice fly from third baseman Kennedi Gaton proved to be the game changer as the sophomore sparked Troy's two-run bottom of the fifth.

The contest proved to be a pitchers' duel early as both Leanna Johnson (20-11) and Jessica Adams (12-17) carried a no-hitter through the first three complete innings.

In the top of the fourth, a check swing single and a bunt single broke up Johnson's no-hitter and put two runners on with no outs.

After a popped up bunt gave the Trojans (30-19) the first out of the frame, Gaton snagged a liner and caught the runner heading back to the bag at first to end the fourth.

UT Arlington (22-26) struck first in the top of the fifth when Sophie Wideman plated Jessica Carreon with a two-out RBI single.

Troy quickly retaliated in the home half of the fifth when Gaton smashed a sacrifice fly to the warning track that plated Anslee Finch. Finch reached base as the leadoff batter on an error by the Mavericks second baseman.

With the game deadlocked at one, Logan Calhoun followed and dropped a single into shallow centerfield to score Audra Thompson. Thompson who attempted to bunt Finch over to second with nobody out, reached on a fielder's choice. The run gave Troy a decisive 2-1 lead.

Armed with the lead, Johnson worked around a hit by pitch, a walk and a single through next two frames to secure her 20^th win of the season. The Trojan ace has now recorded at least 20 victories in all three seasons she has pitched at Troy.

Adams suffered the loss of the Mavericks after allowing just two hits and a walk. Both of Troy's runs were unearned after the Maverick error to open the fifth frame.

Quotable – Co-Interim Head Coach Taylor Smartt
"This was just a really good team win today. Leanna fought through adversity in the circle and continued to give our team a chance, and we played a really solid defensive game. Kennedi came up with some clutch plays, and the bottom of our lineup produced at crucial times. Logan's hit was huge as it gave us the go-ahead run we needed."

Notable
• With today's victory, Troy reached the 30-win mark for the third consecutive season, and the fifth time in six years.
• The Trojans improve to 3-1 this season against UTA.
• Troy won its opener in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the first time since 2018.
• The Trojans had lost back-to-back SBC Tournament openers including last season's 2-1 loss to UTA in the 2021 SBC Tournament.
• Troy's eight and nine-hole hitters tallied both the Trojans' RBIs.
• Kelly Horne and Logan Calhoun recorded Troy's lone two hits of the contest.
• Troy won for just the third time all season when being outhit. The Trojans were 2-14 in the previous 16 instances.
• Johnson improved to 3-0 this season against UTA, going the distance in all three games. The First Team All-Sun Belt selection has allowed just one run in 21 innings and has struck out 25 Mavericks.

Next Up
Troy returns to action in day three of the Sun Belt Tournament tomorrow morning against the No. 1 seed Louisiana. First pitch from Jaguar Field is set for 10 a.m.