Troy University Athletics
Wednesday, May 7
Troy, Ala.
7 p.m.
Troy University
33-24
4
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James Madison
26-25
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7
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James Madison
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5
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Troy
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5
2
Troy’s Rally Falls Short to James Madison in SBC Tournament
5/7/2025 11:05:00 PM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – A late sixth inning rally by the Troy softball program came up short in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament as it fell Wednesday night to James Madison, 5-4, at the Troy Softball Complex.
The Trojans (33-23) scored two in the bottom of the sixth to make it a one-run game before the Dukes (26-25) finished the job as the Trojans end 2025 with 20 wins at home for the first time since 2016.
Makaley Boswell set the tone with a lead-off home run as one of four Trojans with an RBI in the game – Caiden Oliva, Cassidy Boltz and Kayden Dunn also tacked on an RBI. Oliva was the lone Trojan with multiple RBIs, going 2-for-4 with a double. Alyssa Faircloth (15-8) opened the game with three straight hitless innings against the Dukes before the loss, as Kate Peters and Mya Holt came in for relief with zero earned runs.
James Madison, who went 11-4 over its last 15 league games, scored five runs through innings 4-6 to advance into the quarterfinals. Abbie Campbell and Kylee Gleason had a pair of hits as the Dukes' offense capitalized on two errors by Troy and three wild pitches. Kirsten Fleet came in for relief in the fifth and delivered four punch-outs after Payton List (12-7) earned the victory through four innings and three strikeouts.
Game Summary
Faircloth set the tone out of the gates when she took out JMU's first three batters in 10 pitches, setting the stage for Boswell in the bottom half. Up 2-1 in the count, Boswell drove one over the left field wall, 1-0, to strike first.
The Troy defense kept the Dukes silent through three innings, holding them without a hit as Faircloth punched out a pair and Natalie Turner got two putouts in the third.
Boswell reached base for the second straight time with a full-count walk and advanced on a wild pitch before stealing third. Oliva stepped into the plate and delivered a full count double to left center, bringing Boswell home for the second time, 2-0.
JMU ended its scoreless play when Gleason singled to first base and advanced to third on a wild pitch in the fourth. After Cali Legzdin earned a 4-1 walk, she attempted a steal to second, which allowed Gleason to steal home, 2-1, to trim the deficit to one.
The Dukes claimed the lead in the top of the fifth when a single by Campbell, a 4-1 walk for Lily Romero and a wild pitch put runners in scoring position – Lauren Fulton pinch ran for Romero. A sac fly by List brought Campbell home, 2-2, and after a single to the catcher by Gleason, Fulton stole home to take a 3-2 lead.
Troy tried to tie the matchup via the small ball game in the bottom of the fifth when the single-season leader in batting average, McKinnon Howard, earned a full count walk – her fourth of 2025. A sac bunt from Boswell and a groundout by Taylor McKinney moved her to third, but Fleet punched out the final out to keep the advantage – the Dukes pushed their advantage to two, 5-2, in the sixth on a sac fly from Madison Edwards and an error by Troy.
In the bottom of the sixth, Troy responded with a 4-1 walk by Annie Orman, before Boltz hammered her first triple of 2025 to right field to score one, 5-3. Boltz waited two outs before Kayden Dunn pinch hit an RBI-single, 5-4, to cut the deficit to one.
Mya Holt set the stage by keeping the margin at one as the Trojans had one last chance in the seventh, but Fleet ended the Trojans' season with three up, three down.
Head Coach Eric Newell
"This was a special group of seniors. I'm going to miss each and every single one of them. They left an indelible mark within this program. They've left a foundation so we can grow as a program, and they left an impression on the younger players that will carry over for years. We got off to an early advantage with Boswell leading off with the home run. We were playing well early, and we tried to keep that momentum. But it felt like the train was coming off the tracks for us as JMU got some momentum. And hats off to them. They are a great program that is hot. It's disappointing to have the season come to a close, but I'm proud of our work all year. This was a special group."
Notables
• For the second time in 2025, Boswell led the Trojans off with a home run – her first came at UAB on April 15.
• Boltz's triple in the bottom of the sixth was her first of 2025 and the second in her career.
• Oliva ended the night with a pair of hits for her 10th multi-hit game of 2025 – she has nine games with two hits.
• Howard ended 2025 as the single-season leader in Troy program history at .439.
• McKinney closed her final season tied with Sandy Atkins (1995) for the most runs scored in a single season at 54.
• Troy ended the season with 33 wins for its seventh straight season with 30-plus wins (excluding 2020 for COVID).
The Trojans (33-23) scored two in the bottom of the sixth to make it a one-run game before the Dukes (26-25) finished the job as the Trojans end 2025 with 20 wins at home for the first time since 2016.
Makaley Boswell set the tone with a lead-off home run as one of four Trojans with an RBI in the game – Caiden Oliva, Cassidy Boltz and Kayden Dunn also tacked on an RBI. Oliva was the lone Trojan with multiple RBIs, going 2-for-4 with a double. Alyssa Faircloth (15-8) opened the game with three straight hitless innings against the Dukes before the loss, as Kate Peters and Mya Holt came in for relief with zero earned runs.
James Madison, who went 11-4 over its last 15 league games, scored five runs through innings 4-6 to advance into the quarterfinals. Abbie Campbell and Kylee Gleason had a pair of hits as the Dukes' offense capitalized on two errors by Troy and three wild pitches. Kirsten Fleet came in for relief in the fifth and delivered four punch-outs after Payton List (12-7) earned the victory through four innings and three strikeouts.
Game Summary
Faircloth set the tone out of the gates when she took out JMU's first three batters in 10 pitches, setting the stage for Boswell in the bottom half. Up 2-1 in the count, Boswell drove one over the left field wall, 1-0, to strike first.
The Troy defense kept the Dukes silent through three innings, holding them without a hit as Faircloth punched out a pair and Natalie Turner got two putouts in the third.
Boswell reached base for the second straight time with a full-count walk and advanced on a wild pitch before stealing third. Oliva stepped into the plate and delivered a full count double to left center, bringing Boswell home for the second time, 2-0.
JMU ended its scoreless play when Gleason singled to first base and advanced to third on a wild pitch in the fourth. After Cali Legzdin earned a 4-1 walk, she attempted a steal to second, which allowed Gleason to steal home, 2-1, to trim the deficit to one.
The Dukes claimed the lead in the top of the fifth when a single by Campbell, a 4-1 walk for Lily Romero and a wild pitch put runners in scoring position – Lauren Fulton pinch ran for Romero. A sac fly by List brought Campbell home, 2-2, and after a single to the catcher by Gleason, Fulton stole home to take a 3-2 lead.
Troy tried to tie the matchup via the small ball game in the bottom of the fifth when the single-season leader in batting average, McKinnon Howard, earned a full count walk – her fourth of 2025. A sac bunt from Boswell and a groundout by Taylor McKinney moved her to third, but Fleet punched out the final out to keep the advantage – the Dukes pushed their advantage to two, 5-2, in the sixth on a sac fly from Madison Edwards and an error by Troy.
In the bottom of the sixth, Troy responded with a 4-1 walk by Annie Orman, before Boltz hammered her first triple of 2025 to right field to score one, 5-3. Boltz waited two outs before Kayden Dunn pinch hit an RBI-single, 5-4, to cut the deficit to one.
Mya Holt set the stage by keeping the margin at one as the Trojans had one last chance in the seventh, but Fleet ended the Trojans' season with three up, three down.
Head Coach Eric Newell
"This was a special group of seniors. I'm going to miss each and every single one of them. They left an indelible mark within this program. They've left a foundation so we can grow as a program, and they left an impression on the younger players that will carry over for years. We got off to an early advantage with Boswell leading off with the home run. We were playing well early, and we tried to keep that momentum. But it felt like the train was coming off the tracks for us as JMU got some momentum. And hats off to them. They are a great program that is hot. It's disappointing to have the season come to a close, but I'm proud of our work all year. This was a special group."
Notables
• For the second time in 2025, Boswell led the Trojans off with a home run – her first came at UAB on April 15.
• Boltz's triple in the bottom of the sixth was her first of 2025 and the second in her career.
• Oliva ended the night with a pair of hits for her 10th multi-hit game of 2025 – she has nine games with two hits.
• Howard ended 2025 as the single-season leader in Troy program history at .439.
• McKinney closed her final season tied with Sandy Atkins (1995) for the most runs scored in a single season at 54.
• Troy ended the season with 33 wins for its seventh straight season with 30-plus wins (excluding 2020 for COVID).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: List, Payton (12-7)
L: Faircloth, Alyssa (15-8)
S: Fleet, Kirsten (4)
Batting:
RBI: List, Payton 1 ; Edwards, Madison 1 ; Campbell, Abbie 1
SF: List, Payton 1 ; Edwards, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gleason, Kylee 1 ; Legzdin, Cali 1 ; Wall, Raegan 1 ; Campbell, Abbie 1 ; Fulton, Lauren 1
SB: Gleason, Kylee 2 ; Legzdin, Cali 3 ; Wall, Raegan 1 ; Fulton, Lauren 1
Batting:
2B: Oliva, Caiden 1
3B: Boltz, Cassidy 1
HR: Boswell, Makaley 1
RBI: Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Oliva, Caiden 1 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1 ; Dunn, Kayden 1
SH: Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Motes, Dailynn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boswell, Makaley 2 ; Orman, Annie 1 ; Boltz, Cassidy 1
SB: Boswell, Makaley 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballUTL
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballC / UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
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