Softball drops series against USM

The Troy softball team crushed Kennesaw State 12-6 in a midweek matchup before earning its 11th run-rule win of the year over Southern Miss last Sunday, 10-2. Despite the series loss against the Golden Eagles, the Trojans were able to take positive momentum heading into another road trip. 

Kennesaw State was able to get on the board first in the midweek contest but wouldn’t stay ahead for long. While at bat, Dailynn Motes was hit by a pitch, and McKinnon Howard sent a single to the third base line off a bunt to put runners on first and second. Kalee Rochinski found the gap up the middle to score Motes and Howard with a double to make the score 2-1. 

The Owls of Kennesaw State struck back immediately, but in the third, Sun Belt Player of the Week Kiley Huffman smacked an inside-the-park homer to take the 3-2 lead. To continue building momentum, Rochinski obliterated a home run to deep left field.  

Shortly after, Huffman hit a single and stole second, which brought Boswell home and made the score 6-2. 

Kennesaw State would not stay down however, cutting the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run. The Trojans punched back, as Huffman hit a single to bring Amity White home and to make it 7-4 Trojans. 

Kennesaw trimmed it down to 7-6, making it very uncomfortable for the Trojans, but another inside the park home run, this time by Howard, would open the flood gates. Three straight singles by Rochinski, Kirby and Megan Loftis would set up for four straight runs following four straight at-bats. Abby Lovell stifled Kennesaw State in the seventh to seal the final score of 12-6 in favor of Troy. 

“Today was big,” said head coach Eric Newell. “We remain perfect in these midweek games, which is nice.” 

Onwards to more Sun Belt play, this time against a close rival in the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. Game one was yet another close battle at home for the Trojans, but unlike the Kennesaw State game, Troy could not pull away in a 4-2 loss. 

Abby Lovell, despite the loss, racked up another complete game, further proving herself on the field. The offense started with a Howard leadoff single, however, the rest of the offensive tries could not capitalize. Presley Ivey hit a single later in the game, but again it amounted to no runs. Runs came in late in the fourth.  

Huffman roped a leadoff single up the middle of the field, Mia Tidmore walked and Loftis hit a bunt single to load the bases. Kirby would hit a two-RBI double to add two in the score column for Troy. 

Southern Miss would break through Lovell’s no-hitter up to that point, and in the sixth they’d tie the game right up with a double to right-center and a single to the same spot. In the seventh, Southern Miss would hit a go-ahead two-run homer to go up with two more runs. 

Following the close one to the Golden Eagles, the Trojans looked to have an offensive spark in game two of the three game series. Ella Cunningham was in the circle spinning pitches, and in the first she would hold Southern Miss scoreless.  

Ivey and Boswell hit back-to-back doubles to bring a run home in the first inning. Southern Miss would tie it right up in the second to make the score 1-1 so far. 

Loftis and Motes both walked in the second, and Howard hit an infield single to make the score 2-1 Trojans.  

In the fourth, Southern Miss loaded the bases, and Savannah Money would enter and try to mitigate any damage. Southern Miss took the lead and didn’t look back in the 6-3 win. 

“It’s tough to be 0-2 this weekend at home, where you’ve played so well,” Newell said. “The message today was to play a little better.” 

In game three, at risk of getting swept, the Trojans did play better in a dominant 10-2 win. 

Cut to bottom of the fifth. It’s 0-2 in favor of Southern Miss, and Cunningham just stepped into the batter box with two outs. The pinch-hitter delivered, annihilating the go-ahead, three run shot to take the lead. It opened the floodgates, as the Trojans scored seven in the sixth inning to run-rule Southern Miss. 

In the sixth, Tidmore would smack a lead-off double. Huffman kept the line moving with a single, and Rochinski would bring her home with an RBI single.  

Kirby would walk with the bases loaded to bring in another run, and a Southern Miss error just brought in another. Loftis would walk, bringing in yet another run, and Tidmore would smoke a bases-clearing double to walk it off for the Trojans. 

“I’m proud of them, it was a great response and hopefully something we can build on going forward into conference play,” Newell said. 

Following a midweek tilt against Florida A&M, the Trojans travel to Lafayette, Louisiana, to take on the Ragin’ Cajuns Thursday through Saturday. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.