Trojans Clinch Postseason Spot with Gritty Win

Thursday, May 1

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

32-22, 11-11

South Alabama

19-30, 8-13

SOUTH ALABAMA

Troy

Trojans Clinch Postseason Spot with Gritty Win

5/1/2025 8:48:00 PM | Softball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – In a back-and-forth rivalry matchup, the Troy softball team took a 7-6 win over South Alabama to clinch a Sun Belt Tournament spot. The Trojans (32-22, 11-11 SBC) withstood a comeback bid from the Jaguars (19-30, 8-12 SBC) as four players had multi-hit games.

Annie Orman gave Troy a lead it wouldn't relinquish in the third inning with a two-run inside-the-park home run – it was Troy's first since Ebony Wright hit one on Mar. 9, 2013, at UT Arlington. Orman finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs, as she hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning.

Also performing well from the plate was Taylor McKinney, who earned her 200th career hit in the first inning. She finished the game 2-for-3 with one RBI and a walk on her ledger.

Kate Peters (1-0) earned the win after firing 3.2 innings out of the bullpen, striking out three and allowing one earned run.

The Jaguars struck first, scoring on a fielder's choice after drawing two walks. South Alabama loaded the bases off walks, but Peters entered in relief and ended the inning with a huge strikeout.

In the bottom of the first, Makaley Boswell worked a nine pitch at-bat before pushing a single through the right side. McKinney and Caiden Oliva followed it up with singles of their own, loading the bases for Orman.

Orman delivered with a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at 1-1. Cassidy Boltz rocketed a single up the middle to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead.

South Alabama fought right back with a two-out rally in the second, taking a 3-2 lead with a two-RBI double. Reigning Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week Ryley Harrison got two quick outs in the bottom of the inning before Boswell lined a single over the shortstop. However, Harrison got a strikeout to end the inning.

After Peters worked a one-two-three inning from the circle, the Trojans snatched the lead right back. Oliva led off the third with a double to right field. Following it up, Orman launched a ball that careened off the right fielder's glove.

Orman raced around the bases and scored on an inside-the-park home run to give Troy a 4-3 lead.

The Trojans widened their lead in the fourth inning, with McKinney bouncing an RBI single up the middle. Oliva hit an RBI fielder's choice and Boltz dropped an RBI single into no-man's land to extend the lead to 7-3.

The Jaguars got a run back in the fifth inning with a solo home run off Savannah Money and held Troy scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

Following a walk in the sixth inning, South Alabama hit an RBI triple to cut Troy's lead to 7-5. A wild pitch brought the runner home and made it a 7-6 contest. Boswell turned a brilliant double play to end the inning after Mya Holt entered the game.

In the seventh, Holt slammed the door with a solid inning. She forced a flyout to center field to end the game.

Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a big win tonight. I'm so happy for our girls, and it was something that they were certainly kind of stressed about, but we got the job done and I couldn't be more happy. Especially for our senior class, they wanted this. This year in the Sun Belt has been such a grind – it is every year but this is such a unique year in that we're fighting for a playoff spot in the last weekend of the year, but we're only four games back of first place."

Up Next:
Troy will play a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Game three will be played on Saturday if needed. Senior Day will be celebrated before the doubleheader.

Notables:

Taylor McKinney extended her on-base streak at 37 games
McKinney's first-inning single was her 200th career hit
Troy has hit 20 sacrifice flies this season – the total leads the Sun Belt Conference
Makaley Boswell and McKinney notched her 16th multi-hit games of the season, which lead the team – Cassidy Boltz and Caiden Oliva had their 14th and ninth multi-hit games, respectively
Annie Orman's inside the park homer was Troy's first since Ebony Wright hit one on Mar. 9, 2013, at UT Arlington
McKinney recorded her fourth outfield assist of the season in the fourth inning
McKinney is now tied for fourth place in Troy history for single-season runs scored, with 51 – she ties Tara Michel (1999)
Mya Holt earned her second save of the season