Troy University Athletics
Thursday, February 13
Troy, Ala.
4:30 p.m.
Troy University
4-2
4
vs
2
SEMO
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
SE Missouri
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
5
0
Troy
1
0
1
2
0
0
X
4
7
1
Trojans Top Redhawks to Kick Off Cardinal Clash
2/13/2025 7:06:00 PM | Softball
Troy, Ala. – The Trojans bested Southeast Missouri 4-2 to open the Cardinal Clash. Troy (4-2) breezed past the Redhawks (0-1) with seven hits, five walks and strong pitching performances.
Alyssa Faircloth (2-1) shredded the SEMO lineup, pitching 4 innings and striking out eight Redhawks. The total matched her career high in strikeouts, which she set on Feb. 24, 2024.
Cassidy Boltz built on a strong start to the season with a 3-for-3 showing from the dish, crushing a double and knocking in one run. She is now tied for first on the team in hits with eight.
After hitting two home runs during the Trojan Classic, Caiden Oliva went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. She slapped an RBI single to left and took a clutch bases-loaded walk.
Making her third start of the season, Faircloth got off to a strong start from the circle. She struck out two Redhawks in the first inning.
Troy wasted no time getting on the board in the first as reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Taylor McKinney lined a single up the middle. Following a passed ball and a single by Oliva, McKinney scored to make it 1-0.
Although the Trojans loaded the bases after a walk and a Boltz single, they couldn't capitalize on the opportunity.
Faircloth continued dealing, punching out three straight SEMO batters after giving up a leadoff single in the second inning. She added two more strikeouts to the tally in the next inning.
Plate discipline paid off for the Trojans in the middle innings – Sarah Beth Brake drew a walk in the third inning and Boltz drove in the run with a deep double to left-center field.
In the fourth, a walk and a hit by pitch gave Troy valuable baserunners. Natalie Turner drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Oliva took a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 4-0.
Esmee Ames entered the game in the fifth, and the Redhawks threatened to score after a leadoff double. However, Ames struck out a batter and induced a popout, setting up a huge at-bat with a runner on third.
Makaley Boswell turned a slick play to end the danger, charging a ground ball and rocketing the ball to first just before the runner got there.
Despite Boltz getting her third hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans couldn't widen the lead.
SEMO fought back in the seventh inning, scoring two runs to force Ames out of the game. Mya Holt stepped into the circle needing one out to record the save.
Although she walked one batter, Holt induced a weak groundout to leave the bases loaded.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell:
"Obviously SEMO gave us a little bit of a scare there at the end, and they're a good team that played in the Arkansas Regional last year. I was proud of the way we battled and we started the game off early. Even though we didn't close it too well, at the end of the day it's about winning ballgames and that's what we did. [Faircloth] was phenomenal, she pitched really well and we're going to need her."
Notables
Alyssa Faircloth (2-1) shredded the SEMO lineup, pitching 4 innings and striking out eight Redhawks. The total matched her career high in strikeouts, which she set on Feb. 24, 2024.
Cassidy Boltz built on a strong start to the season with a 3-for-3 showing from the dish, crushing a double and knocking in one run. She is now tied for first on the team in hits with eight.
After hitting two home runs during the Trojan Classic, Caiden Oliva went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. She slapped an RBI single to left and took a clutch bases-loaded walk.
Making her third start of the season, Faircloth got off to a strong start from the circle. She struck out two Redhawks in the first inning.
Troy wasted no time getting on the board in the first as reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Taylor McKinney lined a single up the middle. Following a passed ball and a single by Oliva, McKinney scored to make it 1-0.
Although the Trojans loaded the bases after a walk and a Boltz single, they couldn't capitalize on the opportunity.
Faircloth continued dealing, punching out three straight SEMO batters after giving up a leadoff single in the second inning. She added two more strikeouts to the tally in the next inning.
Plate discipline paid off for the Trojans in the middle innings – Sarah Beth Brake drew a walk in the third inning and Boltz drove in the run with a deep double to left-center field.
In the fourth, a walk and a hit by pitch gave Troy valuable baserunners. Natalie Turner drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Oliva took a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 4-0.
Esmee Ames entered the game in the fifth, and the Redhawks threatened to score after a leadoff double. However, Ames struck out a batter and induced a popout, setting up a huge at-bat with a runner on third.
Makaley Boswell turned a slick play to end the danger, charging a ground ball and rocketing the ball to first just before the runner got there.
Despite Boltz getting her third hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans couldn't widen the lead.
SEMO fought back in the seventh inning, scoring two runs to force Ames out of the game. Mya Holt stepped into the circle needing one out to record the save.
Although she walked one batter, Holt induced a weak groundout to leave the bases loaded.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell:
"Obviously SEMO gave us a little bit of a scare there at the end, and they're a good team that played in the Arkansas Regional last year. I was proud of the way we battled and we started the game off early. Even though we didn't close it too well, at the end of the day it's about winning ballgames and that's what we did. [Faircloth] was phenomenal, she pitched really well and we're going to need her."
Notables
- Alyssa Faircloth matched her career high in strikeouts with eight, tying the mark set on Feb. 24, 2023 against Morehead State
- Cassidy Boltz drove in her 6th RBI, which leads the Trojans
- Boltz's three hits tie her for the team lead with eight on the season
- Sarah Beth Brake caught a would-be base thief for the second time this season, improving her caught stealing rate to 66% in 2025
- Troy's pitchers improved to a perfect 10-for-10 on fielding opportunities in 2025
- Taylor McKinney and Cassidy Boltz have gotten a hit in five out of six games this season
- Mya Holt earned her first collegiate save in the win
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Faircloth, Alyssa (2-1)
L: CARNEY, Maddie (0-1)
S: Holt, Mya (1)
Batting:
2B: MELTON, Sydney 1 ; GERWITZ, Tatum 1
RBI: GERWITZ, Tatum 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LUNA, Gracie 1 ; MELTON, Sydney 1
Batting:
2B: Boltz, Cassidy 1
RBI: Oliva, Caiden 2 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1 ; Turner, Natalie 1
SH: Turner, Natalie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McKinney, Taylor 1 ; Loftis, Megan 1 ; Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Howard, McKinnon 1
SB: Oliva, Caiden 1 ; Loftis, Megan 1 ; Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Howard, McKinnon 1 ; Turner, Natalie 1
HBP: Orman, Annie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballC / UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballGerad Parker - SBC Media Zoom
Monday, September 22
Gerad Parker Postgame Press Conference - Buffalo
Saturday, September 20
Player Postgame Press Conference - Evan Crenshaw, Jordan Stringer, Tucker Kilcrease
Saturday, September 20
Troy at Buffalo (Full Highlights)
Saturday, September 20