Softball goes undefeated at Cardinal Clash

Last weekend, the Cardinal Clash ensued. Central Arkansas, IU Indy and Radford challenged the Trojans, and when the dust settled, the Trojans came out undefeated. 

The Trojans took down Central Arkansas 8-0, beat IU Indy 11-3 and 8-0 and scraped by Radford in dramatic 2-1 walk-off fashion in the ninth inning. Following the weekend, Troy sits at 8-1 and jumped into the D1 Softball Mid-Major Rankings at No. 20. 

“It was great to get a walk-off win in extra innings [to end the weekend,]” said head coach Eric Newell. “It was good for us to win a close ballgame. 

Troy celebrates its walk-off win over Radford. (Troy Athletics photo)

“The girls grew up today and we saw a lot of fight that we’re going to need to see in conference play.” 

On Friday, the Trojans faced a doubleheader and two formidable opponents. Game one featured a contest against the Central Arkansas Bears, and the Trojans caused havoc on the plate. 

Abby Lovell started off the pitching for the weekend and pitched a two-hit shutout . She struck out a total of six batters, with only two walks alongside two hits. Ella Cunningham logged four RBIs, crushing a double and a home run.  

Makaley Boswell, Kiley Huffman and McKinnon Howard all brought in two hits against Central Arkansas. Boswell also had an RBI with one of her two hits. 

In the first inning, it was quiet on the Trojans side but in the second, the offense started slugging. Boswell and Huffman crushed a double and single, respectively, and Cunningham smacked a double to left to bring both home and start the scoring for the Trojans.  

Huffman made it back onbase in the fifth inning, and Cunningham crushed a home run to make the score 4-0 Trojans. Amity White and Mia Tidmore both got RBI knocks and Boswell scorched an RBI double down the line to make the score 8-0 and to sealTroy’s fifth run-rule win.  

It would not be their last. 

Against IU Indy, the Trojans had hot bats and elite pitching. Mya Holt led the Trojans out of the gate against the Jaguars, with Emma Banks tidying up from the pen.  

Cunningham became the first Trojan since 2018 to log an RBI in seven straight games with McKinnon Howard, Makaley Boswell, Kiley Huffman and Cunningham all logging two hits against the IU Indy pitching group. Megan Loftis turned the tide after a 3-3 tie, hitting an RBI single.  

Ella Cunningham rounds the bases after her first collegiate home run. (Troy Athletics photo)

Cunningham slapped an RBI single to make the lead 5-3 Trojans in the fourth inning.

Howard and Boswell hit singles in the sixth, with Huffman dinging a double to bring them both home, making the score 8-3.  

Presley Ivey and Lydia Kirby both got walked with the bases loaded, and a Sophia Jenkins sac fly brought the Trojans to their final score, 11-3.  

“[The offensive outbursts] are almost an expectation at this point, our offense has been cooking,” said head coach Eric Newell. 

Yet again, it would not be the last run-rule win of the weekend for Troy. 

In the first game on Saturday against IU Indy, Savannah Money and Cunningham pitched a masterclass, allowing zero runs and just two hits. Sophia Jenkins crushed two home runs, and Cunningham keeps her RBI streak going with an RBI and two doubles. 

 Huffman extended the score to 4-0 with a sac fly, and Kalee Rochinski hit a single to bring the score to 7-0. It wouldn’t be the last time fans heard Rochinski's name over the weekend.  

Boswell hit a single in the sixth inning, and Huffman walked it off with a fielder's choice to get yet another run-rule win. 

Against Radford, the game was offensively silent until extra innings. It was nothing short of a pitcher's duel up until the eighth. Abby Lovell and Emma Banks both threw exceptionally, with Lovell pitching scoreless softball for seven innings and Banks only allowing two hits. 

Radford would bring home a run in the ninth to take a 1-0 lead. Up to bat was Kalee Rochinski. With two runners on base already,her pinch-hit double brought home both to walk it off in extras. 

Following a midweek tilt against Alabama State, the Trojans host their third and final home tournament of the season. The Trojan Invitational will be headlined by Omaha, which is ranked the No. 1 Mid-Major team by D1 Softball.