Softball goes 4-1 at the Trojan Classic

The Trojan Classic has ended, and with the end of a softball-filled weekend, the season starts for the Trojans. The Trojans invited Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga, North Alabama and Southern to Troy and walked away beating all four and going 4-1 at home. 

“We took care of business both today and this weekend, minus a one-run loss yesterday,” said head coach Eric Newell after a win on Sunday. “The girls were running on fumes a little bit, with a few of them battling illness and nickel-and-dime injuries, but all-in-all to get a run-rule victory today was great for us.” 

The first game of the weekend was a fight against Middle Tennessee, where the Trojans eventually took the game with a final score of 11-3. Against the Blue Raiders, the Trojans lit it up offensively with Kyye Ricks and Ella Cunnigham combining for four RBIs and four hits against Middle Tennessee.  

Against Chattanooga, in the second game of the first doubleheader, the Trojans were just as, if not, more lethal on offense. Mya Holt pitched a complete game, sealing an 8-0 shutout, while Ricks and Presley Ivey brought in two runs each, and Makaley Boswell crushed the first home run of the season. 

In the last two days of the invitational, the Trojans faced North Alabama, Chattanooga and Southern to finish with a record of 4-1. North Alabama was the first challenger of the second day and came into this matchup undefeated.  

Boswell helped with a sacrifice fly, bringing in a run, and hit a clutch double in the sixth. Kylie Huffman and Dailyn Motes brought in three combined RBIs to make the final score 10-2. 

Against Chattanooga for the second time, the Trojans dropped a back-and-forth offensive game, with Sophia Jenkins and Kalee Rochinski both crushing home runs. Chattanooga started off the first with three runs. The Trojans fought back throughout the rest of the game, turning 12 hits into nine runs but lost a close one 10-9.  

After the close loss to Chattanooga, Southern came up to bat, and the Trojans continued their offensive run against the Jaguars. Esmee Ames set a career high in strikeouts with eight against Southern.Huffman and Botes combined for three RBIs, and the Trojans pulled away with the win 10-0. 

With a successful Trojan Invitational, the Troy softball squad is back in action Friday, Feb 13 against the Central Arkansas Bears at 2 p.m. The game starts off the Cardinal Clash at the Troy Softball Complex, as the Trojans welcome Radford and IU Indy to the Wiregrass along with Central Arkansas.