Troy University Athletics
Troy University
17-8
Columbia
1-7
Trojans’ Offense Explodes In Second Day Of The Spring Games
3/9/2024 5:53:00 PM | Softball
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Troy softball team swept the second day of The Spring Games at ROC Park. The Trojans dominated Columbia, 13-4, to start the day before beating Sacred Heart, 11-0 in the afternoon.
After being shut out for the first time all season, the Trojans scored 24 runs in two games. Troy set two season highs in the opening game against Columbia with 16 hits and 13 runs. The Trojans followed that impressive performance with their fourth shutout of the season.
Taylor McKinney excelled from the batter's box. The junior second baseman blasted home runs in both games, recording six RBIs on the day. McKinney is up to a .324 batting average, 17 RBIs and three homers on the season.
Libby Baker continued to be one of Troy's most valuable players. Baker mashed a three-run bomb in the first inning against Sacred Heart and went 3-for-5 over the two games with four RBIs. Baker also pitched four shutout innings, earning her seventh win of the season against Sacred Heart.
Game One: Troy 13, Columbia 4
The Trojans dominated the game from the very beginning, scoring ten runs in the opening frame. The action started early with an RBI double by Cassidy Boltz and an RBI single by Audra Thompson to give Troy its 2-0 start.
McKinney smashed her second home run of the season to plate three runs and extend the Trojan lead to five runs. A pair of RBI singles and a pair of errors from the Lions doubled Troy's lead, 10-0.
Jaden Hill plated all four runs for Columbia. The senior shortstop hammered a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning before blasting a three-run bomb in the bottom of the fourth to score the final runs of the game.
Game Two: Troy 11, Sacred Heart 0
Troy's offense was powerful and relentless from the very beginning of this game. Boltz smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning, which was followed by a three-run bomb by Baker to give the Trojans an early 5-0 lead.
In the third inning, McKinney smashed her second homer of the day to plate two more runs and extend the lead to seven. Jade Sinness mashed another home run for the Trojans in the bottom of the fourth that highlighted a four-run inning to give Troy its 11-0 win.
Baker was nearly untouchable from the circle today, only allowing two hits over her four shutout frames. The fifth-year senior improved to 7-3 on the season and lowered her ERA to 2.42.
Notables
- Troy's 16 hits and 13 runs against Columbia is a new season high. The previous season high was the Trojans' 12 run and 13 hit performance against Morehead State on February 25.
- The Trojans set a new milestone in the Newell era. Their four home runs against Sacred Heart is the most in a single game under head coach Eric Newell.
- Jade Sinness' three RBIs today moves her up in Troy's history books. Sinness surpasses Hayden Gann and is currently 8th for most career RBIs with 119. Sinness trails Staci Boyette by only two RBIs.
- Libby Baker's three-run blast shot her up in the record books. Baker has moved to seventh all-time for career home runs. She surpasses Hayden Gann with 25 homers and is trailing current teammate Jade Sinness who has 28 and counting.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Faircloth, Alyssa (6-1)
L: Sarah Mikami (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Boltz, Cassidy 1
HR: McKinney, Taylor 1
RBI: Sinness, Jade 3 ; Johnson, Rebekah 1 ; Baker, Libby 1 ; Dunn, Kayden 1 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1 ; Thompson, Audra 1 ; McKinney, Taylor 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Sinness, Jade 1 ; Riggs, D'Aun 2 ; Johnson, Rebekah 1 ; Baker, Libby 1 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1 ; Thompson, Audra 1 ; McKinney, Taylor 1 ; Finch, Anslee 1 ; Tidmore, Mia 1 ; Turner, Natalie 3
SB: Turner, Natalie 1
Batting:
2B: Eleni Katsivalis 1
HR: Jaden Hill 2
RBI: Jaden Hill 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Jaden Hill 2 ; Maddie Souza 1 ; Payton Shimansky 1
HBP: Eleni Katsivalis 1
