Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Northwest Florida
Softball Splits Week Two of Fall Ball, Hosts Northwest Florida and Heads to Florida State
10/6/2026 2:04:00 PM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – Week two of fall ball keeps the Troy softball program home against Northwest Florida on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m., before traveling to Tallahassee to take on Florida State on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m.
Both games this week are against quality opponents, and we look forward to the challenges that these games will provide. Northwest Florida is an elite level junior college program, and Florida State is a perennial ACC powerhouse. Playing on the road in Tallahassee on Saturday will give us an incredibly challenging environment. We really feel that creating pressure and challenges in the fall will only help us in our spring season.
Northwest Florida comes to Troy having lost only 11 games over the last two years, leading to a National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship in 2025 and another NJCAA World Series appearance in 2026. Then, Troy heads to JoAnne Graf Field to face Florida State, who hosted the Tallahassee Regional Final in 2026 after winning the ACC.
Game Information
Who: Northwest Florida | Florida State
Where: Troy, Ala. – Troy Softball Complex | Tallahassee, Fla. – JoAnne Graf Field
When: Wednesday, Oct. 7 – 5 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 10 – 1 p.m.
Familiar Leaders and Fresh Faces
To open the fall slate, Troy welcomed two community college squads to the Troy Softball Complex with Wallace State-Hanceville and Gadsden State.
The Trojans' pitching and defense dominated, allowing no runs in the first nine innings of both games. In the circle, Troy's star southpaws, Ella Cunningham and Abby Lovell, each threw five of those scoreless innings to open each game. Together, they recorded 13 strikeouts and allowed only six baserunners.
The transfer from Northwest Florida, Bre Hughes, wasted no time settling in at Troy, blasting a three-run home run in her debut and holding down the middle infield with fellow transfer Avery Adcock.
In Friday's game, the freshmen showed out, starting with Anna Jo Bonds, who collected three hits, including two doubles, and three RBIs. Mariah Harrison locked down center field with impressive range and flashed the leather on a diving catch in the gap.
