Troy University Athletics
Saturday, April 29
Troy, Ala.
11 a.m.
Troy University
17-30, 6-14
11
vs
3
Georgia Southern
32-15-1, 13-6-1
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3
4
5
6
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H
E
Georgia Southern
0
0
2
0
1
0
3
7
2
Troy
0
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5
2
0
3
11
10
1
Troy Softball Run Rules Georgia Southern to Clinch Series
4/29/2023 3:12:00 PM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – An explosive third inning capped off by a grand slam for Anslee Finch allowed Troy to run-rule Georgia Southern Saturday afternoon, 11-3, at the Troy Softball Complex to earn the series win.
With bases loaded, Finch found herself in a 2-2 count. The right fielder rocketed her seventh pitch over the left field wall to put the exclamation point on a five-run inning for the Trojans (32-15-1, 13-6-1 SBC).
Troy was the first to strike after a quiet 1.5 innings for either side. Finch started the Trojans off by singling to the shortstop before Audra Thompson kept the momentum rolling with a single down the left-field line. On her senior weekend, Katelyn de Leon kept the run alive with a single of her own to left center, advancing both runners two bases, 1-0.
For a brief moment, Georgia Southern (17-30, 6-14 SBC) took control in the top of the third on a double by Janai Conklin and a walk by Dejah Mills. Katie Perkins only needed to tap it to left-center on her second pitch to bring Conklin in, 1-1. The Trojans substituted Haley Pittman (1-1), who forced a fly out for her first batter. However, a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, allowing a single by Kinley Stewart to punch in the second run and give the Soaring Eagles a 2-1 lead.
The bottom of the third saw Troy's takeover. Jade Sinness started the Trojans off with a single right up the middle before Kelly Horne earned a full-count walk. A passed ball and a four-pitch walk for Libby Baker loaded the bases with Taylor McKinney up to bat. McKinney remained patient at the plate to earn Troy's second walk of the inning and put the tying run on the board, 2-2. With bases still loaded, Finch came up and rocketed out her homer to finish off a five-run inning, 6-2.
The Trojans ramped the gas pedal up again in the fourth. Horne stepped into the batter's box after Sinness earned a walk and singled one deep to center field. As the center fielder Kinley Stewart tried to fire one in to salvage the play, she overthrew her teammate to allow Horne to advance to second and Sinness to score, 7-2. McKinney, who would finish with four RBIs, grabbed her second on a double to left center with a full count, 8-2.
An error by Kennedi Gaton at third gave the Soaring Eagles life after Olivia Creamer walked and advanced on a wild pitch. A single and steal by Caldwell put runners on second and third as Brooke Kell stepped up to bat. Bell grounded one to Gaton, who fumbled the ball, which resulted in all runners being safe and an unearned run for Georgia Southern, 8-3.
All that momentum came to a halt at the bottom of the sixth. Two singles by Sinness and Horne and a sac bunt for Baker had runners in scoring position, with McKinney stepping up to bat as the walk-off run. On her fourth pitch, McKinney nearly homered as the ball came down on the wall in center field to bring in Sinness and Horne, 10-3. The shortstop Faith Barth cut off the throw and aimed to get McKinney out at third. A severe overthrow by Barth was all she wrote as McKinney easily advanced home to run-run Georgia Southern, 11-3.
The win for Troy marks its first series win since Coastal Carolina and Pittman's first win as a Trojan.
Senior day festivities peak tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. when the Trojans, Soaring Eagles series wraps up with game three at the Troy Softball Complex.
With bases loaded, Finch found herself in a 2-2 count. The right fielder rocketed her seventh pitch over the left field wall to put the exclamation point on a five-run inning for the Trojans (32-15-1, 13-6-1 SBC).
Troy was the first to strike after a quiet 1.5 innings for either side. Finch started the Trojans off by singling to the shortstop before Audra Thompson kept the momentum rolling with a single down the left-field line. On her senior weekend, Katelyn de Leon kept the run alive with a single of her own to left center, advancing both runners two bases, 1-0.
For a brief moment, Georgia Southern (17-30, 6-14 SBC) took control in the top of the third on a double by Janai Conklin and a walk by Dejah Mills. Katie Perkins only needed to tap it to left-center on her second pitch to bring Conklin in, 1-1. The Trojans substituted Haley Pittman (1-1), who forced a fly out for her first batter. However, a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, allowing a single by Kinley Stewart to punch in the second run and give the Soaring Eagles a 2-1 lead.
The bottom of the third saw Troy's takeover. Jade Sinness started the Trojans off with a single right up the middle before Kelly Horne earned a full-count walk. A passed ball and a four-pitch walk for Libby Baker loaded the bases with Taylor McKinney up to bat. McKinney remained patient at the plate to earn Troy's second walk of the inning and put the tying run on the board, 2-2. With bases still loaded, Finch came up and rocketed out her homer to finish off a five-run inning, 6-2.
The Trojans ramped the gas pedal up again in the fourth. Horne stepped into the batter's box after Sinness earned a walk and singled one deep to center field. As the center fielder Kinley Stewart tried to fire one in to salvage the play, she overthrew her teammate to allow Horne to advance to second and Sinness to score, 7-2. McKinney, who would finish with four RBIs, grabbed her second on a double to left center with a full count, 8-2.
An error by Kennedi Gaton at third gave the Soaring Eagles life after Olivia Creamer walked and advanced on a wild pitch. A single and steal by Caldwell put runners on second and third as Brooke Kell stepped up to bat. Bell grounded one to Gaton, who fumbled the ball, which resulted in all runners being safe and an unearned run for Georgia Southern, 8-3.
All that momentum came to a halt at the bottom of the sixth. Two singles by Sinness and Horne and a sac bunt for Baker had runners in scoring position, with McKinney stepping up to bat as the walk-off run. On her fourth pitch, McKinney nearly homered as the ball came down on the wall in center field to bring in Sinness and Horne, 10-3. The shortstop Faith Barth cut off the throw and aimed to get McKinney out at third. A severe overthrow by Barth was all she wrote as McKinney easily advanced home to run-run Georgia Southern, 11-3.
The win for Troy marks its first series win since Coastal Carolina and Pittman's first win as a Trojan.
Senior day festivities peak tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. when the Trojans, Soaring Eagles series wraps up with game three at the Troy Softball Complex.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pittman, Haley (1-1)
L: Kastin Belogorska (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Janai Conklin 1
RBI: Katie Perkins 1 ; Kinley Stewart 1
SH: Janai Conklin 1 ; Courtney Ball 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Janai Conklin 1 ; Dejah Mills 1 ; Olivia Creamer 1
SB: Kinley Stewart 1 ; Chandler Caldwell 1
HBP: Faith Barth 1
Batting:
2B: McKinney, Taylor 1
3B: McKinney, Taylor 1
HR: Finch, Anslee 1
RBI: McKinney, Taylor 4 ; Finch, Anslee 4 ; de Leon, Katelynn 1
SH: Baker, Libby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sinness, Jade 3 ; Horne, Kelly 1 ; Hughes, Aayanah 1 ; Turner, Natalie 1 ; Baker, Libby 1 ; McKinney, Taylor 2 ; Finch, Anslee 2
SB: Thompson, Audra 1
CS: McKinney, Taylor 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballUTIL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
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