Troy Comes Up Short to No. 24 Auburn

Wednesday, April 12

Auburn, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

28-11-1

Auburn

30-12

Troy

Auburn

4/12/2023 9:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score BOX SCORE (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

AUBURN, Ala. – A late rally by Troy that saw two runs in the final two innings while holding Auburn scoreless came up short, 7-5, at the Jane B. Moore Field Wednesday night.

A pair of errors allowed the Tigers (30-12, 7-5 SEC) to explode in the fourth and fifth innings with four runs as the Trojans (28-11-1, 9-2-1 SBC) fall for their second straight game to be swept by the SEC opponent.

The Trojans came out of the gates swinging as D'Aun Riggs connected on the first pitch and sent it to left field for a single. Libby Baker continued the quick start after Taylor McKinney went down swinging. Down 0-2 in the count, Baker sent it over the left field wall for the early 2-0 lead – ninth homer of 2023.

Auburn responded quickly in the bottom of the inning after Nelia Prealta got hit by a pitch down in the count 1-2. KK McCrary let the pitch come to her, up in the count 3-1 and doubled to left field to bring in Auburn's first run, 2-1. A walk for Lindsey Garcia put runners on first and second, and a pop-up deep in foul territory put both in scoring position. Then, on her third pitch, Bri Ellis doubled down the right field line to score both runners and take the 3-2 lead.

The home runs weren't out of Troy's system as Audra Thompson opened the second inning with a solo bomb to left center, hitting the Tigers' scoreboard to tie the game 3-3.

An error by Olivia Cato plagued Troy in the third after Garcia and Bryant singled to left field and up the middle, respectively, to put runners on second and third. Cato made the play on pinch hitter Axe Milanowski when she popped up. A quick reaction saw the freshman throw to third for the double play, but she overthrew Gaton, which allowed them to score the run, 4-3. With a runner still on third after the error, Icess Tresvik lined one on a sacrifice fly to right field for a two-run lead, 5-3.

Another error hit Troy in the bottom of the fourth when Baker dropped one at first to allow Makayla Packer to reach. A single up the middle by Rose Roach on the next pitch and a steal put her and Packer on second and third. With one out on the board, McCrary brought in two more RBIs when she singled to left field, 7-3.

Leanna Johnson entered the bottom of the fifth and Troy's defense straightened up, which opened the door for a late rally in the sixth when McKinney and Baker singled. A wild pitch and a groundout by Kelly Horne had runners at second and third, allowing Jade Sinness to punch the fourth run on a sacrifice fly to left field, 7-4.

Troy's final run came through senior Katie Lively after Gaton grounded out to open the seventh. Up 3-1 in the count, Lively drilled one through the right side to keep Troy alive, 7-5, with her first homer since 2021. Unfortunately, Troy couldn't finish the rally after Kayden Dunn fouled out, and Riggs flew one out to center field to end the ballgame.

Troy returns to conference play on Friday when it travels to battle James Madison in a three-day series.