Troy University Athletics
Friday, February 20
Troy, Ala.
4 p.m.
Troy University
vs
Furman
Troy Set for Final Home Tournament of Season
2/19/2026 4:50:00 PM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – The Troy softball team welcomes Omaha, Nicholls, Kennesaw State and Furman to the Troy Softball Complex for the Trojan Invitational this weekend. The Trojans are off to a 9-1 start, their best since 2022 and just the fifth 9-1 start since 2004.
After a 10-1 midweek win over Alabama State, the Trojans are up to eight total run-rule wins and have won six straight games. The Trojans are clicking in every phase of the game and hold multiple top-10 national ranks: second with 36 steals, third with 32 doubles, fourth with a .420 batting average and eighth with a 1.54 ERA.
Tournament Information
What: Trojan Invitational
Date: Feb. 20 | Feb. 20 | Feb. 21 | Feb. 21 | Feb. 22
Times: 4 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 11:30 a.m.
Who: Furman | Nicholls | Kennesaw State | Omaha | Furman
Location: Troy, Ala. – Troy Softball Complex
Watch: ESPN+ for Troy games on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22
Alabama State Recap
Following a slow first few innings, the Troy offense exploded in the last three innings to earn a 10-1 win over Alabama State on Wednesday night. Esmee Ames struck out seven across four innings of work, allowing just two hits.
Makaley Boswell, Kiley Huffman and Kam Munson each finished the contest with three RBIs, and Huffman set a career high with three hits. With a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning, Munson teed off on a pitch for a walk-off, three-run homer to end it.
Trojan Invitational Preview
The tournament's biggest game will pit Troy against Omaha on Saturday night. The Mavericks (9-0) are ranked No. 1 in the D1 Softball Mid Major Poll and head into Troy outscoring their opponents 90-22.
Omaha is off to the best start in the program's DI history and received votes in national polls this week. Bailey Sample won the Summit League Peak Performer of the week last weekend after logging three multi-hit games. Maddia Groff was named the Peak Pitcher of the Week, punching out 17 and allowing just one earned run in 11.2 innings.
Nicholls (6-3) enters the weekend on a three-game win streak. The Colonels beat Eastern Illinois, Georgia State and SIUE last weekend, led by Molly Koo. Koo was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week after going 3-0 with a shutout, two complete games and a 0.82 ERA.
Kennesaw State (2-6) has struggled against a tough schedule to start the season. The Owls have played three Power Four teams in Georgia Tech, Louisville and South Carolina this season. Macie Howes leads the team with a 1.332 OPS, racking up 12 hits and nine RBIs in eight games.
Furman (1-8) enters the Trojan Classic just a game removed from its first win under head coach Mary Beth Dennison. The Paladins were picked to finish last in the SoCon heading into the season.
Notables
After a 10-1 midweek win over Alabama State, the Trojans are up to eight total run-rule wins and have won six straight games. The Trojans are clicking in every phase of the game and hold multiple top-10 national ranks: second with 36 steals, third with 32 doubles, fourth with a .420 batting average and eighth with a 1.54 ERA.
Tournament Information
What: Trojan Invitational
Date: Feb. 20 | Feb. 20 | Feb. 21 | Feb. 21 | Feb. 22
Times: 4 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 11:30 a.m.
Who: Furman | Nicholls | Kennesaw State | Omaha | Furman
Location: Troy, Ala. – Troy Softball Complex
Watch: ESPN+ for Troy games on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22
Alabama State Recap
Following a slow first few innings, the Troy offense exploded in the last three innings to earn a 10-1 win over Alabama State on Wednesday night. Esmee Ames struck out seven across four innings of work, allowing just two hits.
Makaley Boswell, Kiley Huffman and Kam Munson each finished the contest with three RBIs, and Huffman set a career high with three hits. With a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning, Munson teed off on a pitch for a walk-off, three-run homer to end it.
Trojan Invitational Preview
The tournament's biggest game will pit Troy against Omaha on Saturday night. The Mavericks (9-0) are ranked No. 1 in the D1 Softball Mid Major Poll and head into Troy outscoring their opponents 90-22.
Omaha is off to the best start in the program's DI history and received votes in national polls this week. Bailey Sample won the Summit League Peak Performer of the week last weekend after logging three multi-hit games. Maddia Groff was named the Peak Pitcher of the Week, punching out 17 and allowing just one earned run in 11.2 innings.
Nicholls (6-3) enters the weekend on a three-game win streak. The Colonels beat Eastern Illinois, Georgia State and SIUE last weekend, led by Molly Koo. Koo was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week after going 3-0 with a shutout, two complete games and a 0.82 ERA.
Kennesaw State (2-6) has struggled against a tough schedule to start the season. The Owls have played three Power Four teams in Georgia Tech, Louisville and South Carolina this season. Macie Howes leads the team with a 1.332 OPS, racking up 12 hits and nine RBIs in eight games.
Furman (1-8) enters the Trojan Classic just a game removed from its first win under head coach Mary Beth Dennison. The Paladins were picked to finish last in the SoCon heading into the season.
Notables
- Troy entered the D1 Softball Mid-Major Rankings at No. 20 on Feb. 16
- The Trojans are 5-0 all-time against Furman, 7-2-1 against Nicholls, 8-7 against Kennesaw State and will take on Omaha for the first time in program history
- Troy is 29-11 in home tournaments under head coach Eric Newell
- Troy's 9-1 start is its best under Newell and just the Trojans fifth 9-1 start since 2004 -- they did it in 2022, 2021, 2012 and 2004
- As a team, Troy holds a .420 batting average, .505 on-base percentage and .672 slugging percentage -- those numbers are all the top in the Sun Belt Conference and rank fourth, sixth and 13th in the nation respectively
- Troy is one of four teams in the nation, and the only mid-major team, to be ranked in the top 10 in both batting average and ERA -- Troy's 1.54 ERA is eighth in the nation
- Troy has stolen 36 bases so far this season, second in the nation and most in the SBC
- So far this year, the Trojans have hit 32 doubles, which ranks third in the nation
- Ella Cunningham's seven doubles also rank third in the country
- Abby Lovell holds a 0.37 ERA through four appearances, which is second-best in the Sun Belt and 16th in the nation behind Esmee Ames' 0.00 ERA through two starts
Players Mentioned
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UTL
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