Big Innings Power Troy to Saturday Sweep in Jacksonville

Saturday, March 11

Jacksonville, Fla.

12 p.m.

Troy University

17-7

Army

6-15

Army

Troy

Big Innings Power Troy to Saturday Sweep in Jacksonville

3/11/2023 7:04:00 PM | Softball

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

By: Troy Athletics Communications

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Leanna Johnson picked up two wins in the circle, and Troy rode a pair of big innings as the Trojans swept through Saturday's action at the UNF Spring Break Challenge with an 8-0 win over Army and a 9-2 victory over Northern Kentucky.

Johnson improved to 14-2 on the season to move within three wins of becoming Troy's all-time leader with 94 in her career. She earned the win as the starter in game one and came out of the bullpen in the nightcap. Johnson's 14-2 start to the season is the best in her career; she started each of the last two seasons with 10-2 records.

At the plate, a 5-run first against Army (6-15) and an 8-run fifth against Northern Kentucky (4-14) did the damage. Taylor McKinney had a big day at the plate with four hits, including a triple and homer against the Black Knights, while D'Aun Riggs had three hits over the two games.

The Trojans (18-7) have won eight of their last nine games heading into a matchup against North Florida on Sunday at 11 a.m. before opening Sun Belt play next weekend at home against Texas State.

Troy 8, Army 0

Just as they did in Friday's victory over Army, Troy jumped out to an early lead and rode the arms of Leanna Johnson and Haley Pittman to a victory in game one of the day.

The Trojans plated five runs in the first inning, led by a pair of hits and two RBIs from Taylor McKinney and Libby Baker. McKinney hit her team-leading third triple and team-best sixth home run in the contest.

D'Aun Riggs opened the game with a single through the left side of the infield, and two pitches later, McKinney deposited a triple into right to put Troy on the board. One of two Army errors on the day followed, and Baker followed with a grounder to short to make it 2-0 Troy.

Kelly Horne singled, Baker scored on the second error of the frame, and Kennedi Gaton put the exclamation point in the inning with a two-run double to left center.

McKinney blasted a 3-1 offering in the second over the wall in left-center field to put Troy up 6-0, while Anslee Finch and Baker had RBI singles in the fourth to increase the Trojans' lead to 8-0.

Johnson tossed four scoreless frames with four strikeouts and just a pair of hits allowed, while Pittman stuck out two in the fifth to close out the game.

Troy 9, Northern Kentucky 2

Looking at the final score, you never would have guessed that Northern Kentucky led Troy, 2-1, heading into the fifth inning. Five hits, two walks, a hit batter, an error and most importantly eight runs later, Troy came away with a 9-2 victory over the Norse.

Troy loaded the bases with one out in the decisive frame on a D'Aun Riggs double, Taylor McKinney walk and hit by pitch by Libby Baker. Jade Sinness provided the go-ahead runs with a 2-run double to right-center field.

Kelly Horne and Audra Thompson followed with run-scoring singles before a NKU throwing error allowed another run to score. Riggs finished what she started with a 2-run single to right-center to cap Troy's scoring.

Kennedi Gaton tied the game at 1-all with an RBI single in the second after NKU struck for an unearned run in the first. The Norse took a 2-1 lead in the third after two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases.

Leanna Johnson picked up her second win of the day with three scoreless innings of relief of Olivia Cato. Johnson struck out four and scattered three hits. Alicia Flores (2-6) allowed seven runs on seven hits in the losing effort.