Softball takes series win at Georgia State

Caleb Thomas

Allison Bowman

Troy Athletics photo

Cassidy Boltz fields a ball during a game earlier this season

The Troy softball team hit nine home runs in a series win over Georgia State over the weekend, as the Trojans moved one win away from clinching their spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Troy needs one win over South Alabama this weekend to clinch a spot in the tournament that will be played at its home field.

“I’m happy to go home with the series victory,” head coach Eric Newell said. “You have finals, friends and the softball postseason approaching and much more – but we found a way to come out and play for each other.”

Cassidy Boltz went 4-for-8 from the plate over the weekend, crushing two home runs and drawing two walks. Boltz was one of eight different players to homer during the series against the Panthers.

In the series opener, the Trojans bashed five home runs in a 13-6 win, their most in a game since 2021. Nine different Trojans recorded a hit, and Taylor McKinney extended her program-best on-base streak to 36 games over the series.

Troy went down 2-0 to Georgia State, and didn’t strike back until the third inning. McKinney swatted a home run to left field to tie the game 2-2 – her home run tied her for the third-most in program history.

Caiden Oliva annihilated a three-run homer in the fourth inning to hand the Trojans a 5-2 lead before the Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to one.

Troy put the game away with a five-run sixth inning, starting with back-to-back jacks from Dailynn Motes and Sissy Dunn. Natalie Turner hit her first home run of the season in the seventh inning, and the Trojans withstood two runs from Georgia State to secure the 13-6 win.

Troy dropped the second game of the series 6-2, as the Panthers used a four-run first inning to earn their third Sun Belt win of the season. Cassidy Boltz brought Troy’s only two runs to the plate with two solo home runs. Her home run total sits at seven on the season.

To clinch the series win, the Trojans secured a 10-0 run-rule victory over the Panthers.

Alyssa Faircloth threw a shutout as Makaley Boswell powered the offense from the dish.

“Alyssa did phenomenal on the mound and the long ball kept working,” Newell said.

“Makaley did well putting the icing on the cake with her three-run shot, and everyone came out and contributed in the batter’s box.”

Troy struck first in the second inning, as Annie Orman launched a solo home run. The Trojans scored two more in the third to go up 3-0.

The score remained locked at 3-0 until the fifth inning, where Troy exploded for a seven-run inning. Boswell crushed a three-run home run to put Troy up 10-0 and put the run rule into effect. The Trojans won their fifth run-rule game of the season.

The Trojans will try to clinch their postseason berth in the final regular season series of the season, as Troy welcomes in-state rival South Alabama. The series starts Thursday, May 1 and runs through Saturday. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.