Troy University Athletics
Sunday, April 27
Atlanta, Ga.
11 a.m.
Troy University
31-22, 0
10
at
0
Georgia State
12-38, 0
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Troy
0
1
2
0
7
10
9
0
GEORGIA STATE
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Faircloth Pitches Shut Out Over Georgia State to Clinch Series
4/27/2025 2:42:00 PM | Softball
ATLANTA, Ga. – The long ball continued Sunday afternoon for Troy softball with a pair of home runs as Alyssa Faircloth pitched a five-inning shutout, 10-0, over Georgia State to clinch the series victory at the Bob Heck Softball Complex.
The Trojans (31-22, 10-11 SBC) clinched their fourth series victory of 2025 with a 2-1 weekend over the Panthers (12-38, 3-18 SBC) to set up a scenario to clinch a Sun Belt Conference Tournament spot with one victory over South Alabama next weekend.
Faircloth (14-6) led the defensive route at the mound with five innings pitched with six punch outs through 17 batters faced for her fourth shutout of 2025 – she tallied at least one strikeout each inning with only one hit allowed. A seven-run inning clinched the run-rule for the Trojans in the fifth inning as six had a hit. Makaley Boswell, Annie Orman and McKinnon Howard secured two-hit games for their 12th, fifth and seventh two-hit games, respectively.
Chloe Middlebrooks got Georgia State's lone hit of the game with a double to start the ballgame for the opposition. But the Panthers' offense couldn't continue with six strikeouts, two groundouts and six fly/pop-outs to stay scoreless against Faircloth. Neither of the Panthers' pitchers could handle the Trojans as Sydney Boulware (3-14) allowed seven earned runs on six hits, and Kate Kastelic gave up three runs on three hits in one inning.
Series Clinched
Troy used the long ball to strike first for the first time on the week, 1-0, when Orman hammered her eighth homer of 2025 with a solo shot to right-center in the top of the second.
Faircloth kept the Panthers silent with a pair of flyouts and a punch out to finish the second, allowing Troy to extend its lead to three, 3-0, in the top of the third. Howard singled to third base down 1-2 in the count before stealing second. Boswell bunted and beat the throw to put runners on the corners – Boswell stole second on the next pitch. Taylor McKinney got her fourth sac fly to drive in Howard, and after a full-count walk for Caiden Oliva, Boswell scored on a wild pitch.
The sophomore pitcher continued her onslaught at the mound, tallying at least one strikeout in the next two innings – she had two in the bottom of the third.
Troy had the eye in the top of the fifth with two straight walks from McKinney and Oliva. Orman sparked a seven-run inning with an RBI double to right center, scoring McKinney, 4-0, for her 50th run scored in 2025 – she tied Jill Buckley (1995) for the fifth-most in a single-season. A 4-1 walk by Cassidy Boltz loaded the bases, and Oliva pounced on a wild pitch to score 5-0.
Reaghan Oney got Troy's second double of the inning on her fifth pitch to score Boltz and pinch runner Meghan Loftis, 7-0 – she advanced to third on an error by the Panthers. A fielder's choice for Sarah Beth Brake got Oney picked off. Still, Rebekah Johnson pinched hit a single to right field to put pinch runner Emily Ferro on third – Natalie Turner pinch ran for Brake and stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
After two outs were put on the board, Boswell put the run rule into effect, 10-0, with a three-run home run to left field – Troy finished it in the bottom half with a pop-up, strikeout and foul out to win the series.
Next Up
The Trojans celebrate senior weekend at the Troy Softball Complex with a Thursday to Saturday series against in-state rival South Alabama.
Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a good bounce back from a disappointing day yesterday. I'm happy to go home with the series victory. I was pleased with how we came out and handled business in short-game fashion. Alyssa did phenomenal on the mound and pitched a shutout, and the long ball kept going. At this time of the season, you have everything going on. You have finals, friends, the softball postseason approaching and much more. But we need to find a way to come out and play for each other. That seven-run inning was amazing. Makaley did well in putting the icing on the cake with her 3-run shot. Everyone came out and contributed to the batter's box. It's tough coming off the bench, but it was good to use a little bit of depth today. Everyone stays ready for their opportunity, and that's being a good team player. We have a heightened series against South with a playoff spot on the line. So, we need Troy fans to pack the stands and poke the Jaguars a little bit."
Notables
• With McKinney's fourth sac fly, the Trojans have accumulated 19 in 2025, extending their lead over the league.
• The series win allows Troy to clinch an SBC Tournament spot with one victory over South Alabama next weekend.
• With her walk in the top of the fifth, McKinney has reached base safely in 36 straight games.
• McKinney's 50th run scored in 2025 in the top of the fifth tied her with Jill Buckley (1995) for the fifth-most in a single season.
• For the first time since West Georgia (10) on April 2, the Trojans scored seven runs in an inning in the top of the fifth.
• The victory over Georgia State secures Troy's fourth league series victory of 2025.
• Troy's 10-0 run-rule victory marked its fifth of 2025.
The Trojans (31-22, 10-11 SBC) clinched their fourth series victory of 2025 with a 2-1 weekend over the Panthers (12-38, 3-18 SBC) to set up a scenario to clinch a Sun Belt Conference Tournament spot with one victory over South Alabama next weekend.
Faircloth (14-6) led the defensive route at the mound with five innings pitched with six punch outs through 17 batters faced for her fourth shutout of 2025 – she tallied at least one strikeout each inning with only one hit allowed. A seven-run inning clinched the run-rule for the Trojans in the fifth inning as six had a hit. Makaley Boswell, Annie Orman and McKinnon Howard secured two-hit games for their 12th, fifth and seventh two-hit games, respectively.
Chloe Middlebrooks got Georgia State's lone hit of the game with a double to start the ballgame for the opposition. But the Panthers' offense couldn't continue with six strikeouts, two groundouts and six fly/pop-outs to stay scoreless against Faircloth. Neither of the Panthers' pitchers could handle the Trojans as Sydney Boulware (3-14) allowed seven earned runs on six hits, and Kate Kastelic gave up three runs on three hits in one inning.
Series Clinched
Troy used the long ball to strike first for the first time on the week, 1-0, when Orman hammered her eighth homer of 2025 with a solo shot to right-center in the top of the second.
Faircloth kept the Panthers silent with a pair of flyouts and a punch out to finish the second, allowing Troy to extend its lead to three, 3-0, in the top of the third. Howard singled to third base down 1-2 in the count before stealing second. Boswell bunted and beat the throw to put runners on the corners – Boswell stole second on the next pitch. Taylor McKinney got her fourth sac fly to drive in Howard, and after a full-count walk for Caiden Oliva, Boswell scored on a wild pitch.
The sophomore pitcher continued her onslaught at the mound, tallying at least one strikeout in the next two innings – she had two in the bottom of the third.
Troy had the eye in the top of the fifth with two straight walks from McKinney and Oliva. Orman sparked a seven-run inning with an RBI double to right center, scoring McKinney, 4-0, for her 50th run scored in 2025 – she tied Jill Buckley (1995) for the fifth-most in a single-season. A 4-1 walk by Cassidy Boltz loaded the bases, and Oliva pounced on a wild pitch to score 5-0.
Reaghan Oney got Troy's second double of the inning on her fifth pitch to score Boltz and pinch runner Meghan Loftis, 7-0 – she advanced to third on an error by the Panthers. A fielder's choice for Sarah Beth Brake got Oney picked off. Still, Rebekah Johnson pinched hit a single to right field to put pinch runner Emily Ferro on third – Natalie Turner pinch ran for Brake and stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
After two outs were put on the board, Boswell put the run rule into effect, 10-0, with a three-run home run to left field – Troy finished it in the bottom half with a pop-up, strikeout and foul out to win the series.
Next Up
The Trojans celebrate senior weekend at the Troy Softball Complex with a Thursday to Saturday series against in-state rival South Alabama.
Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a good bounce back from a disappointing day yesterday. I'm happy to go home with the series victory. I was pleased with how we came out and handled business in short-game fashion. Alyssa did phenomenal on the mound and pitched a shutout, and the long ball kept going. At this time of the season, you have everything going on. You have finals, friends, the softball postseason approaching and much more. But we need to find a way to come out and play for each other. That seven-run inning was amazing. Makaley did well in putting the icing on the cake with her 3-run shot. Everyone came out and contributed to the batter's box. It's tough coming off the bench, but it was good to use a little bit of depth today. Everyone stays ready for their opportunity, and that's being a good team player. We have a heightened series against South with a playoff spot on the line. So, we need Troy fans to pack the stands and poke the Jaguars a little bit."
Notables
• With McKinney's fourth sac fly, the Trojans have accumulated 19 in 2025, extending their lead over the league.
• The series win allows Troy to clinch an SBC Tournament spot with one victory over South Alabama next weekend.
• With her walk in the top of the fifth, McKinney has reached base safely in 36 straight games.
• McKinney's 50th run scored in 2025 in the top of the fifth tied her with Jill Buckley (1995) for the fifth-most in a single season.
• For the first time since West Georgia (10) on April 2, the Trojans scored seven runs in an inning in the top of the fifth.
• The victory over Georgia State secures Troy's fourth league series victory of 2025.
• Troy's 10-0 run-rule victory marked its fifth of 2025.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Faircloth, Alyssa (14-6)
L: Boulware, S. (3-14)
Batting:
2B: Orman, Annie 1 ; Oney, Reaghan 1
HR: Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Orman, Annie 1
RBI: Boswell, Makaley 3 ; McKinney, Taylor 1 ; Orman, Annie 2 ; Oney, Reaghan 2
SF: McKinney, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boswell, Makaley 2 ; McKinney, Taylor 1 ; Oliva, Caiden 1 ; Orman, Annie 1 ; Loftis, Megan 1 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1 ; Ferro, Emily 1 ; Turner, Natalie 1 ; Howard, McKinnon 1
SB: Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1 ; Turner, Natalie 1 ; Howard, McKinnon 1
PO: Oney, Reaghan 1
Batting:
2B: Middlebrooks 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballUTL
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C
/ Softball
P
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OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UTL
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UTL
/ Softball
C / UTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
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