Softball Battles No. 6 Florida State, Drops Pair on Saturday

Saturday, February 25

Tallahassee, Fla.

9 a.m.

Troy University

9-4

Florida Gulf Coast

8-9

Troy

Florida Gulf Coast

Softball Battles No. 6 Florida State, Drops Pair on Saturday

2/25/2023 7:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 FSU Box Score (PDF)FGCU Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Troy battled No. 6 Florida State down to its final out Saturday at JoAnne Graf Field, but the Seminoles escaped with a 2-1 victory, Troy's second loss of the day at the Unconquered Invitational. Troy fell to Florida Gulf Coast, 6-1, earlier in the day.

No. 6 Florida State 2, Troy 1

Jahni Kerr hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 1-all tie and lift No. 6 Florida State past Troy, 2-1.

Troy (9-5) struck first in the top of the second after Anslee Finch led off the inning with a single and moved to second as Kelly Horne worked a 6-pitch walk. Audra Thompson advanced both runners up a base with a sac bunt, and a Florida State error allowed pinch runner Aayanah Hughes to score.

Leanna Johnson held the Seminoles (15-3) off the board until the third inning when Kaley Mudge doubled home a lead-off walk. Florida State loaded the bases in the fourth with nobody out after a double and a pair of walks, but Johnson retired the next three batters to keep the game deadlocked.

Olivia Cato (2-2) took over in the circle for Johnson in the fifth, and Kerr took a 2-0 offering from the freshman just over the wall in left field for the game-winner.

Libby Baker came off the bench in the seventh and ripped a pinch-hit double into the gap in right-center field but was stranded there by Seminole starter Kathryn Sandercock (4-2), who earned the win after she struck out four and allowed just three hits in seven innings.

Florida Gulf Coast 6, Troy 1

Florida Gulf Coast jumped on Troy early, racing out to a 6-1 lead after three innings, which would be the final score. The Eagles scored one in the first, four in the second and another single run in the third.

Troy out-hit FGCU, 8-6, but five walks and a pair of errors doomed the Trojans in the first game of the day. Sissy Dunn led Troy with a pair of hits in three at-bats after coming off the bench.

FGSU scored a run in the first without the benefit of a base hit after back-to-back walks to open the game, and a double-steal set the runners up for an RBI grounder. Troy answered in the top of the second as Kennedi Gaton battled through a 10-pitch at-bat for a sac fly to score Taylor McKinney, who singled, advanced to second on an Audra Thompson single and stole third.

The Eagles strung together three hits around a pair of walks to put up a four spot in the second inning and added their final run on an RBI double in the third.

Libby Baker (1-1) was charged with the loss for the Trojans after she allowed four runs on just one hit in 1.1 innings; she walked four. Haley Pittman tossed 1.2 innings before Brookelyn Cannon made her first appearance of the season and tossed three scoreless frames.

Baylee Haggard (2-2) went the distance for the Eagles, allowing a run on eight hits to earn the win.

Up Next
Troy closes out play in Tallahassee on Sunday against Lamar, with first pitch set for 8 a.m. (CT).