Softball battles in series loss

Taking the long trip to Lafayette, Louisiana, the Troy softball team took on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for a fierce Sun Belt Conference battle. After taking game one 5-4, the Trojans dropped close 11-7 and 5-4 contests to lose the series. 

Game one was a stellar performance in favor of the Trojans. Abby Lovell started it in the circle, and the bats were on fire early. Mia Tidmore slapped a leadoff single, and an error got her right to second base.  

Ella Cunningham walked up to home plate and destroyed a two-run home run to make the score 2-0 in the first. The game was silent scoring-wise until two walks in the fifth inning, putting some Trojans on base.  

Presley Ivey roped an RBI double to make the game 3-0 Trojans. Amity White drew a pinch-hit walk and a Makaley Boswell hit would bring White home. Louisiana would rally back, but Cunningham entered the circle to stifle the fight and make the game a 5-4 win for Troy. 

“It’s always a great environment when you come to Lafayette, their fans always get so into it,” said head coach Eric Newell.  

Games two and three weren’t much from the Trojans, as eight runs in the first inning from the Cajuns on Friday would be detrimental. Despite the fight and a huge game from Kiley Huffman with a home run and multiple RBIs, the game would end in favor of the Cajuns, 7-11. 

In game three, the weather was a huge wild card, turning the game into a five-hour stalemate. The Trojans would get on the board first with runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-0 lead. Louisiana would explode for three runs in the fifth. 

Following a lengthy rain delay, Ivey hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Despite confusion and umpires nearly ending the game in a tie, play commenced, and Louisiana tied it in the bottom of the seventh off a defensive miscue. The game would eventually head to extras, where Louisiana hit a walk-off to end 5-4. 

“Our girls battled to the very end,” Newell said. 

The Trojans play a doubleheader at home against West Georgia before welcoming Texas State to the Wiregrass. Troy takes on the Sun Belt preseason favorite starting on Friday, Apr. 9 at 6 p.m.