Troy & No. 25 Texas State Tie Series Finale; Troy Wins Series

Sunday, March 19

Troy, Ala.

12 p.m.

Troy University

Texas State

Troy & No. 25 Texas State Tie Series Finale; Troy Wins Series

3/19/2023 3:25:00 PM | Softball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Kennedi Gaton's two-run home run in the fourth inning and seven strong innings from Leanna Johnson paced Troy in a 2-2 tie with No. 25 Texas State in the Sun Belt series finale Sunday at the Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans won the series after sweeping Saturday's doubleheader.

The game ended in a tie due to Texas State's travel plans, as no inning could start after 2:15 p.m. Troy is now 11-1-1 in their last 13 games after winning the weekend series.

Gaton's fourth home run of the season put Troy (21-7-1, 2-0-1 SBC) in front, 2-1, in the fourth inning, but a bloop double from Karmyn Bass after a walk tied the game in the fifth. Texas State (18-11-1, 0-2-1) opened the scoring in the first with a single by Sara Vanderford.

Johnson, who entered the game needing a victory in the circle to become Troy's all-time wins leader, struck out three and scattered eight hits over the complete-game effort. She worked some magic in the sixth, working out of a bases-loaded and nobody-out jam.

The Bobcats led off the inning drawing a four-pitch walk and then loaded the bases with back-to-back bunt singles that traveled a total of four feet. However, Johnson got back-to-back grounders to third to end the threat, including a 5-2 double play to end the inning.

The line scores between the two teams were identical in the tie, with two runs, eight hits, two errors, four walks, a double play and 11 runners left on base on each side of the ledger.

Karsen Pierce started in the circle for the Bobcats and allowed two runs on five hits in 3.2 innings before Tori McCann closed out the final 3.1 innings in the circle.

D'Aun Riggs and Taylor McKinney each had a pair of hits to lead the Trojans at the plate in addition to Gaton's blast to center field. Eight different Bobcats recorded one hit in the game.

Troy hosts Georgia Tech on Wednesday at 6 p.m. before traveling to ULM over the weekend.