Troy University Athletics

Softball Drops Tight Game to Open Conference Play
3/13/2026 8:42:00 PM | Softball
MOBILE, Ala. – The Troy softball team dropped a 3-2 contest to South Alabama to start a three-game series. The Trojans (16-8, 0-1 SBC) battled against Jaguars (17-11, 1-0 SBC) ace Ryley Harrison, but couldn't generate much offense besides a two-run homer off the bat of Makaley Boswell.
Boswell homered for the third straight game, becoming the first Trojan since Taylor McKinney last season to hit a long ball in three straight games. In the seventh inning, an Amity White pinch-hit single against her former school represented the winning run on first base, but the Trojans couldn't tie the game up.
From the circle, Abby Lovell (3-3) battled in a complete game loss, striking out 10 batters and allowing just six hits and two earned runs in her first Sun Belt Conference start. In a pivotal sixth inning, she struck out the side to keep it a one-run game.
Both teams went scoreless in the first inning, with two-out hits from Ella Cunningham and Dailynn Motes not amounting to anything for the Trojans. Lovell worked around a single and a walk, striking out a batter to end the frame.
Yet again, Troy put runners in scoring position with a two-out rally. Kalee Rochinski roped a single over the second baseman before McKinnon Howard drew a walk. However, the Trojans couldn't bring home a run.
Lovell spun a clean inning in the second, striking out one to keep the game scoreless. She punched out two batters the next inning to bring her total to four strikeouts in three innings. South Alabama struck first in the fourth inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer to center field off the bat of Virginia Mambelli.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Boswell promptly tied it with a line-drive homer to left field, her third straight game with a long ball. The Jaguars took the lead back in the fifth inning off an error, going up 3-2 heading into the last two frames.
The Trojans couldn't get a runner on in the sixth inning, but Lovell struck out the side in the bottom half to keep it close.
In the top of the seventh inning, Sophia Jenkins reached on an error to start it off. Amity White came through against her former team with a pinch-hit single, but Troy couldn't tie the game up.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a disappointing close game. The girls battled for sure. I don't know how many times we've talked about it this year, at least four or five, where we've had the winning run at the plate. In that game, we actually had the winning run at first base. It was a hard-fought game between two good teams. The rivalry game didn't go our way, but it was certainly a close game."
Notables
Boswell homered for the third straight game, becoming the first Trojan since Taylor McKinney last season to hit a long ball in three straight games. In the seventh inning, an Amity White pinch-hit single against her former school represented the winning run on first base, but the Trojans couldn't tie the game up.
From the circle, Abby Lovell (3-3) battled in a complete game loss, striking out 10 batters and allowing just six hits and two earned runs in her first Sun Belt Conference start. In a pivotal sixth inning, she struck out the side to keep it a one-run game.
Both teams went scoreless in the first inning, with two-out hits from Ella Cunningham and Dailynn Motes not amounting to anything for the Trojans. Lovell worked around a single and a walk, striking out a batter to end the frame.
Yet again, Troy put runners in scoring position with a two-out rally. Kalee Rochinski roped a single over the second baseman before McKinnon Howard drew a walk. However, the Trojans couldn't bring home a run.
Lovell spun a clean inning in the second, striking out one to keep the game scoreless. She punched out two batters the next inning to bring her total to four strikeouts in three innings. South Alabama struck first in the fourth inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer to center field off the bat of Virginia Mambelli.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Boswell promptly tied it with a line-drive homer to left field, her third straight game with a long ball. The Jaguars took the lead back in the fifth inning off an error, going up 3-2 heading into the last two frames.
The Trojans couldn't get a runner on in the sixth inning, but Lovell struck out the side in the bottom half to keep it close.
In the top of the seventh inning, Sophia Jenkins reached on an error to start it off. Amity White came through against her former team with a pinch-hit single, but Troy couldn't tie the game up.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"It was a disappointing close game. The girls battled for sure. I don't know how many times we've talked about it this year, at least four or five, where we've had the winning run at the plate. In that game, we actually had the winning run at first base. It was a hard-fought game between two good teams. The rivalry game didn't go our way, but it was certainly a close game."
Notables
- Troy is 6-2-1 in Sun Belt Conference opening series under head coach Eric Newell
- Troy is 21-34 against South Alabama all-time
- Makaley Boswell hit a homer for the third straight game, becoming the first Trojan to do so since Taylor McKinney did from Mar. 30 to Apr. 2, 2025
- Boswell extended her reached-base streak to 24 games
- Boswell logged her team-leading seventh multi-RBI game of the season
- Abby Lovell's 10 strikeouts are the second most in her career behind her 13-strikeout outing against Omaha on Feb. 21
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ryley Harrison (9-4)
L: Lovell, Abby (3-3)

Batting:
HR: Boswell, Makaley 1
RBI: Boswell, Makaley 2
SH: Howard, McKinnon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boswell, Makaley 1 ; Tidmore, Mia 1

Batting:
2B: Gracie Dees 1
HR: Virginia Mambelli 1
RBI: Virginia Mambelli 2 ; Kara Wine 1
SH: Edy Gavin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gracie Dees 1 ; Gracie McDonald 1 ; Virginia Mambelli 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Skylar Meade Postgame - ODU Game 1
Saturday, March 14
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (South Alabama Game 1)
Friday, March 13
Gerad Parker - Spring Practice No. 3
Friday, March 13
Donnie Smith - Spring Practice Day Three
Friday, March 13























