Troy University Athletics
Friday, February 6
Troy, Ala.
2:30 p.m.
Troy University
1-0
11
vs
3
Middle Tennessee
0-2
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2
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4
5
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
2
0
0
1
0
3
5
2
Troy
3
1
0
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7
11
9
3
Newcomers Shine as Softball Starts Season 2-0
2/6/2026 7:31:00 PM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – The Troy softball team run-ruled both Middle Tennessee and Chattanooga to start the Trojan Classic on Friday night. The Trojans (2-0) improve to 4-0 in season openers under head coach Eric Newell.
An explosive offense powered the Trojans, as a seven-run frame against the Blue Raiders (0-2) and a four-run game against the Mocs (0-2) fueled the two wins. Kyye Ricks and Ella Cunningham ignited Troy's offense – Ricks went 3-for-8 with four RBIs and two doubles, while Cunningham went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a double.
The Trojans turned in some standout pitching performances as well. Against Chattanooga, Mya Holt spun a one-hit shutout against Chattanooga, her fifth career complete game. Abby Lovell earned a two-inning save against Middle Tennessee in her debut, punching out two.
TROY 11, MTSU 3
Troy run-ruled Middle Tennessee 11-3 to start the day at the Troy Softball Complex. An explosive seven-run fifth inning gave the Trojans the dominant victory.
Power Four transfers Kyye Ricks and Ella Cunningham shined in the contest, combining for four hits and four RBIs in the win. Opening day starter Savannah Money earned the win after scattering four hits and one earned run across three innings, striking out two.
After Middle Tennessee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the Trojans instantly roared back with a three-spot to take the lead.
Makaley Boswell started the rally with a walk, and Cunningham blooped a single into centerfield to bring her around to score. With two outs and the bases loaded, true freshman Jasmine Lawrence delivered with a two-RBI single up the middle.
In the bottom of the second, Ricks roped a double down the left field line. Kiley Huffman drove the run in with a laser beam to center field to make it 4-2.
With Savannah Money encountering some trouble in the fourth inning, freshman Abby Lovell entered the game for her collegiate debut. A run came around to score for the Blue Raiders, but Lovell worked out of the inning with a groundout.
The southpaw out of Columbus, Ga., went out and struck out two batters in a strong fifth inning. Troy walked it off with an explosive seven-run fifth inning, giving Lovell the save.
In the bottom of the frame, Cunningham started the action with an RBI double to right center field, extending the lead to 5-3. An RBI single from Dailynn Motes kept the line moving, and Troy loaded the bases on multiple hit-by-pitches. A two-RBI single off the bat of Ricks made it 9-3 before the Trojans walked it off on an error.
TROY 8, Chattanooga 0
The Trojans ended the day with another run-rule win, 8-0 over Chattanooga. Mya Holt's five-inning shutout held the Mocs at bay, while Kyye Ricks and Presley Ivey both pushed across two runs.
Makaley Boswell crushed Troy's first home run of the season in the fourth inning. The Troy star went 2-for-2 with a homer, double and walk in her first career start at third base.
Troy struck first in the bottom of the first after a quick inning from Holt. Makaley Boswell laced a double into the gap, and Cunningham scored her with a single to make it 1-0.
Holt worked a clean second inning, and the offense went right back to work. Following two walks and an infield single from Megan Loftis, Kyye Ricks lofted a two-RBI double over the left fielder's head.
Holt sat down another three batters to hold the 3-0 lead and run her streak of batters retired to seven. In the bottom of the third, Dailynn Motes led it off with a double. McKinnon Howard pinch ran for her and scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead.
A nifty double play helped Holt post another scoreless frame in the fourth, and Boswell poured it on with an opposite-field homer to right center. Presley Ivey made it 7-0 with a bases-loaded, two-RBI single to mark her first career hit.
Kalee Rochinski put the game into run-rule territory with a single to shallow left, making it 8-0. Holt stepped back out to complete the shutout, sitting down the Mocs in order and punching out one.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a great day to be a Trojan here at the softball field and get two run-rule wins. The offense really showed out and the pitching was clutch as well, especially in game two. We did a lot of things right today. We have a lot of things to clean up, but we've got to remind ourselves it is day one. We'll continue to work on those things, but all in all, it was a great day one."
Notables
An explosive offense powered the Trojans, as a seven-run frame against the Blue Raiders (0-2) and a four-run game against the Mocs (0-2) fueled the two wins. Kyye Ricks and Ella Cunningham ignited Troy's offense – Ricks went 3-for-8 with four RBIs and two doubles, while Cunningham went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a double.
The Trojans turned in some standout pitching performances as well. Against Chattanooga, Mya Holt spun a one-hit shutout against Chattanooga, her fifth career complete game. Abby Lovell earned a two-inning save against Middle Tennessee in her debut, punching out two.
TROY 11, MTSU 3
Troy run-ruled Middle Tennessee 11-3 to start the day at the Troy Softball Complex. An explosive seven-run fifth inning gave the Trojans the dominant victory.
Power Four transfers Kyye Ricks and Ella Cunningham shined in the contest, combining for four hits and four RBIs in the win. Opening day starter Savannah Money earned the win after scattering four hits and one earned run across three innings, striking out two.
After Middle Tennessee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the Trojans instantly roared back with a three-spot to take the lead.
Makaley Boswell started the rally with a walk, and Cunningham blooped a single into centerfield to bring her around to score. With two outs and the bases loaded, true freshman Jasmine Lawrence delivered with a two-RBI single up the middle.
In the bottom of the second, Ricks roped a double down the left field line. Kiley Huffman drove the run in with a laser beam to center field to make it 4-2.
With Savannah Money encountering some trouble in the fourth inning, freshman Abby Lovell entered the game for her collegiate debut. A run came around to score for the Blue Raiders, but Lovell worked out of the inning with a groundout.
The southpaw out of Columbus, Ga., went out and struck out two batters in a strong fifth inning. Troy walked it off with an explosive seven-run fifth inning, giving Lovell the save.
In the bottom of the frame, Cunningham started the action with an RBI double to right center field, extending the lead to 5-3. An RBI single from Dailynn Motes kept the line moving, and Troy loaded the bases on multiple hit-by-pitches. A two-RBI single off the bat of Ricks made it 9-3 before the Trojans walked it off on an error.
TROY 8, Chattanooga 0
The Trojans ended the day with another run-rule win, 8-0 over Chattanooga. Mya Holt's five-inning shutout held the Mocs at bay, while Kyye Ricks and Presley Ivey both pushed across two runs.
Makaley Boswell crushed Troy's first home run of the season in the fourth inning. The Troy star went 2-for-2 with a homer, double and walk in her first career start at third base.
Troy struck first in the bottom of the first after a quick inning from Holt. Makaley Boswell laced a double into the gap, and Cunningham scored her with a single to make it 1-0.
Holt worked a clean second inning, and the offense went right back to work. Following two walks and an infield single from Megan Loftis, Kyye Ricks lofted a two-RBI double over the left fielder's head.
Holt sat down another three batters to hold the 3-0 lead and run her streak of batters retired to seven. In the bottom of the third, Dailynn Motes led it off with a double. McKinnon Howard pinch ran for her and scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead.
A nifty double play helped Holt post another scoreless frame in the fourth, and Boswell poured it on with an opposite-field homer to right center. Presley Ivey made it 7-0 with a bases-loaded, two-RBI single to mark her first career hit.
Kalee Rochinski put the game into run-rule territory with a single to shallow left, making it 8-0. Holt stepped back out to complete the shutout, sitting down the Mocs in order and punching out one.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a great day to be a Trojan here at the softball field and get two run-rule wins. The offense really showed out and the pitching was clutch as well, especially in game two. We did a lot of things right today. We have a lot of things to clean up, but we've got to remind ourselves it is day one. We'll continue to work on those things, but all in all, it was a great day one."
Notables
- Troy is 4-0 in season openers under head coach Eric Newell
- The Trojans are 35-20 all-time against Middle Tennessee
- Troy is 5-2 all-time against Chattanooga
- The Trojans are 23-10 in home tournament games under Newell
- 10 players made their Troy debuts on the day: Kyye Ricks, Kiley Huffman, Ella Cunningham, Jasmine Lawrence and Kam Munson, Abby Lovell, Amity White, Kalee Rochinski, Presley Ivey, Sophia Jenkins and Lydia Kirby
- Jasmine Lawrence drove a two-RBI single up the middle in her first collegiate at-bat
- Lovell recorded her first collegiate appearance, strikeout and save against MTSU
- Cunningham, Ricks and Lawrence all collected their first collegiate hits on the day
- Troy scored seven runs in an inning for the first time since April 27, 2025 against Georgia State
- Makaley Boswell hit Troy's first home run of the season against Chattanooga, and her 10th career round-tripper
- Presley Ivey recorded her first collegiate hit with a two-RBI single against Chattanooga
- Mya Holt logged her fifth career complete game
- Holt tied her career high with three strikeouts
- Against Chattanooga, Sophia Jenkins became the first Trojan to walk three times in a game since Makaley Boswell did against South Alabama on May 2, 2025
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Money, Savannah (1-0)
L: Coffman, Tori (0-1)
S: Lovell, Abby (1)
Batting:
RBI: Bethune, Lilly 1 ; Chatman, Kennedy 1 ; Nwogbo, Adaeze 1
SF: Bethune, Lilly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blevins, Ansley 1 ; Medlock, Lexi 1 ; Chatman, Kennedy 1
Batting:
2B: Ricks, Kyye 1 ; Cunningham, Ella 1
RBI: Ricks, Kyye 2 ; Lawrence, Jasmine 2 ; Huffman, Kiley 1 ; Cunningham, Ella 2 ; Motes, Dailynn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Munson, Kam 1 ; Ricks, Kyye 1 ; Howard, McKinnon 1 ; Boswell, Makaley 2 ; Lawrence, Jasmine 1 ; White, Amity 1 ; Tidmore, Mia 1 ; Huffman, Kiley 1 ; Cunningham, Ella 1 ; Motes, Dailynn 1
SB: Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Lawrence, Jasmine 1 ; Tidmore, Mia 1
HBP: Munson, Kam 1 ; Rochinski, Kalee 1 ; Lawrence, Jasmine 1 ; Motes, Dailynn 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ SoftballP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUnderdogs Untold: Peaks and Valleys
Friday, February 06
Player Postgame Press Conference (Kyye Ricks, Mya Holt) - MTSU and UTC
Friday, February 06
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (MTSU and UTC)
Friday, February 06
Troy vs. Chattanooga Highlights
Friday, February 06