Troy Falls to Kennesaw State in Weekend Finale; Wins Troy Invitational

Sunday, February 19

Troy, Ala.

12 p.m.

Troy University

6-3

Kennesaw State

3-5

Kennesaw State

Troy

Troy Falls to Kennesaw State in Weekend Finale; Wins Troy Invitational

2/19/2023 2:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Kiera Cooper hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, and that was enough as Kennesaw State defeated Troy, 1-0, Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Troy Invitational at the Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans finished the weekend 4-1 to win the tournament title.

Cooper took a 3-1 offering over the wall in left field to lead off the fifth inning. It was just one of three hits on the day surrendered by freshman starter Olivia Cato (1-1), who was struck with her first loss of the season despite striking out four and walking none over 5.1 innings of work.

Melanie Bennett (1-1) shut out the Trojans (6-3), striking out three, walking two and yielding three hits to earn her first win of the season for the Owls (3-5).

Troy had something cooking in the first after a lead-off single by D'Aun Riggs, but Jade Sinness grounded into a tough-luck double play on the next at-bat to end the threat. The Trojans had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh in freshman Sissy Dunn, who battled through an 11-pitch at-bat before grounding out to end the game.

Taylor McKinney led the Trojans for the weekend, batting at a .615 clip (8-of-13) with a home run, double and five RBIs, while Audra Thompson had three doubles and Anslee Finch had a pair of triples, a home run and five RBIs as she hit .500 for the weekend.

Troy hits the road for the first time this season with a mid-week tilt at Mercer on Wednesday before traveling to Tallahassee, Fla., this weekend for the Unconquered Invitational hosted by Florida State.