Troy Falls to Texas State in SBC Quarterfinals

Thursday, May 11

Lafayette, La.

4 p.m.

Troy University

33-19-1

Texas State

34-22-1

Texas State

Troy

Troy Falls to Texas State in SBC Quarterfinals

5/11/2023 8:25:00 PM | Softball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

LAFAYETTE, La. – Texas State managed just three hits Thursday evening at Lamson Park; fortunately for the Bobcats, all three hits led directly to runs in a 3-0 victory over Troy in the Sun Belt Conference quarterfinals.

Sara Vanderford led off the fourth with a double, stole third and scored the game's first run on a sac fly. In the fifth, Emilee Baker hit a soft flare into right-center on a 1-2 pitch to give Texas State (34-22-1) a 2-0 lead, and Vanderford followed with an RBI-single on a 0-2 count.

Leanna Johnson (24-9) allowed just the three hits in her final appearance in the circle for the Trojans. She struck out four and walked six; Johnson struck out the first two batters she faced on just seven pitches before a 102-minute lighting delay halted action with a 3-2 count and two outs in the frame.

"It's never fun to have your season come to an end, but I can't say enough about our seniors; they gave it their all today," Troy head coach Eric Newell said. "I was proud of our dugout and the way they fought; we believed until the very end. My heart just breaks for our seniors right now.

"Leanna is special, and she will forever go down in Troy lore; she is the real deal. At the end of the day, she is a competitor and leaves a legacy at Troy – 100-plus wins, all the strikeouts, but what I love the most about Leanna Johnson is that she doesn't shy away from the fact that she's a leader in the community; the way she treats little girls who come to the ballgame and idolize her."

Troy (33-19-1) managed just two base runners in the game, an infield single by Taylor McKinney in the first and a one-out walk by McKinney in the fourth.

Jessica Mullins (21-10) went the distance in the circle for the Bobcats striking out four to pick up the win.

Troy's finished the season with 30-plus wins for the fifth consecutive full season.