Sunday, April 26, 2015
Troy Softball Sweeps UT Arlington
TROY, Alabama – The Troy softball team swept Sunday’s doubleheader against UT Arlington at the Troy Softball Complex, beating the Mavericks 5-3 in game one and 9-4 in game two.
Jaycee Affeldt and Sara Mock picked up the wins for Troy (31-20, 13-7) as the Trojans remained in third place in the Sun Belt standings with one weekend series left to play.
Hannah Day scored five runs for the Trojans, including a go-ahead solo home run late in game two as Troy came back twice before finishing the sweep of UT Arlington (27-24, 8-12).
The Trojans return to the field next weekend when they host South Alabama for the final three games of the regular season. The Trojans and Jaguars will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday before playing the series’ final game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat by searching for Troy Athletics.
GAME ONE – Troy 5, UT Arlington 3
Jaycee Affeldt (16-8) tossed a complete game and gave up just four hits over the first six innings as Troy opened the day with a 5-3 win over UT Arlington. Affeldt gave up eight hits all together with three runs, two earned, four strikeouts and one walk.
Affeldt did a great job with the top of UTA’s lineup. Sandra Mendoza (.513), Britnea Barilli (.430) and Nina Villanueva (.571) entered with excellent on-base percentages, but Affeldt held the trio to a 1-of-10 showing in 10 plate appearances.
Troy took no time getting on the board as Day roped a one-out triple to right field in the first inning and scored just three pitches later on Becca Hartley’s RBI single.
The Mavericks got the run back in the next inning thanks to a Troy error on an infield single with two runners already on. However, Troy pulled back ahead, 3-1, after RBI singles from Khadija Neely and Ashley Rainey in the third and fourth innings, respectively.
Troy added two huge insurance runs in the fifth inning, running the score to 5-1, thanks to a Carli Kayler sacrifice fly and a UTA error. Amanda Winters walked and Neely singled to start the frame before moving up on Affeldt’s sacrifice bunt. Kayler then lifted a fly ball to center to score Winters and a wild throw from the Maverick’s center fielder scored Neely as well.
UT Arlington led off the seventh inning with four straight hits, including RBI singles from Rebecca Stokes and Haley Henson to cut the deficit to 5-3. However, Affeldt buckled down and retired the next three to take the complete game win.
Sam Montes got the start, but only lasted 0.2 innings for UT Arlington. Kayla Donaldson (5-7) pitched the remaining 5.1 and picked up the loss, giving up four runs on six hits.
GAME TWO – Troy 9, UT Arlington 4
Troy pounded out 12 hits, came from behind twice, and got four great innings of relief work for Mock to pick up the series win in game two.
Ashley Rainey got the start in the circle for Troy, giving up three runs in 3.0 innings before giving way to Mock (5-8), who allowed just one run over 4.0 innings on four hits to pick up the win.
Day went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and a pair of RBI. Kate Benton, Hartley and Rainey all posted two hits apiece with Rainey picking up two RBI.
For the second straight game the Trojans scored in the first inning, this time striking for two as Day hit an RBI double, scoring Benton, and Michelle Phelps delivered an RBI single to score Day.
However, Mya Anderson put UT Arlington ahead with a three-run home run in the third inning, and Troy had to comeback for the first time in the game. Ashley Rainey got herself off the hook for a loss as she tied the game, 3-3, with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.
Mock took over for Rainey to start the fourth, but gave up a leadoff homer to Kacey Everett. However, once again, the Trojans answered. This time, Kayler delivered her second sacrifice fly of the day, scoring Winters, who hit a leadoff single.
Day gave the Trojans the lead for good when she hit the first pitch of the fifth inning over the left field wall for her sixth homer of the season. Neely tacked on an RBI single, scoring Hartley who singled on the pitch following the homer.
UTA seemed ready to get back in the game when it loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the sixth. However, the Mavericks didn’t test Hartley’s arm in right field on two consecutive fly balls, and Winters ended the frame with a diving catch in left field.
The momentum created by Troy’s defense carried over into the bottom of the inning as the Trojans added three more runs to put the game away. An RBI fielder’s choice by Hartley, two errors by UTA and an RBI double by Rainey all contributed to the inning.
Taylor Simmonds (8-5) gave up six runs on 10 hits over 5.0 innings and was tagged with the loss for UT Arlington. Montes entered in the sixth inning as was charged the three runs scored in that frame.
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Six-RBI Performance from Bohack lifts ULM over Georgia State in Series Finale
ATLANTA – Junior Faith plated six of the ULM’s nine runs as the Warhawks (28-17, 10-9 SBC) topped Georgia State (32-19; 11-10 SBC), 9-6 in the series finale at Robert E. Heck Softball Stadium.
With 10 wins in conference play, ULM ties the most Sun Belt Conference wins in a single season in program history with a chance to break the record with a lone series left with UL-Lafayette.
With 28 win on the season, the Warhawks have also picked up the most wins in a single-season since 2001 when the program won 31 games.
Bohack led the offense going 2-for-4 with a three-RBI homer and a three-RBI double on the day. Bohack also scored two runs for the Warhawks.
The six-RBI day sets a new single-game high for the junior, breaking her five-RBI, single-game total she set against Morehead State on Feb. 7, 2014. It’s the most RBI in a single game for a Warhawk since senior Alexis Cacioppo drove home six at UL-Lafayette on May 2, 2014.
Bohack brings her season RBI total to 43 to place fifth on the single-season record and is just four RBI shy of setting a new single-season record.
Senior Mackenzie Miller, junior Amye Barre and senior Alexis Cacioppo picked up lone RBI on the day with Cacioppo knocking a solo homer on the day.
Senior Jessica Colliver made the start, but was knocked out after a third of an inning as she gave up three runs off three hits. Freshman Paige Porter came in for a relief appearance and dealt five innings of five-hit, shut-out softball.
Sophomore Melanie Coyne close out the game with 1.1 innings in relief as she allowed three runs on five hits.
Porter was tagged with the win to move to 10-4 on the season to put two Warhawk pitchers with double-digit wins.
Georgia State broke the game open early with a walk and three hits to score three runs in the bottom of the first.
Warhawks kick a one-out rally in the top of the second with back-to-back singles from redshirt senior Miyuki Navarrete and Barre. Bohack followed with her seventh homer on the season and second in the series to lock the game up at 3-all.
The long-ball offense came into play again in the top of the third as Cacioppo knocked her fifth of the year on a solo shot to right center to put the Warhawks up 4-3.
The Warhawks return home for their final regular season series with No. 9 UL-Lafayette on May 2-3 at the ULM Softball Complex. ULM will honor its seven graduating seniors during Senior Day activities held during the series.
After two scoreless innings, the Warhawk offense stretched its lead in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Vanessa Garcia singled to right center and was followed by a hit by pitch to Navarrete to lead off the inning.
Barre battled to draw a walk to load up the bases. Bohack cleared the bases with a double to left center to take her RBI total to six on the day. Bohack advanced to third on the throw on the play.
The Panthers picked up a pop out for an out, but Miller singled to left field to score Bohack and extend the Warhawk lead to 8-3.
Georgia State loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Warhawk defense held tough as Navarrete picked up the line out to leave the bases loaded.
The Warhawks added an insurance run in the seventh inning with a Navarrete single and a double from Barre to push the lead to 9-3.
Georgia State used a two-run homer and an RBI-bunt single in the bottom of the seventh to cut the Warhawk lead to 9-6, but Coyne in a relief appearance closed the scoring chance to secure the ULM victory.
For the latest on ULM softball, visit ULMWarhawks.com and follow the team on Twitter (@ULM_Softball) and Facebook (facebook.com/ULMSoftball).
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Texas State Softball Defeats Appalachian State On Senior Day
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State softball team pulled away with a 9-1 victory on Senior Day over Appalachian State at the Bobcat Softball Stadium Sunday afternoon. Texas State improves to 29-19 on the year and 11-6 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Bobcats are riding on a seven-game winning streak after the series sweep.
Senior Courtney Harris made her mark on senior day as she launched a grand slam in the bottom of the second inning for her seventh of the season. She owns 107 total RBIs in her career with the Bobcats.
Along with Harris, Kendall Wiley and Ariel Ortiz hit home runs for the Bobcats to put the team season total to 55, just four shy of tying the program record of 59 set back in 2003.
The second inning started for the ‘Cats with back-to-back singles by Taylor Webb and Kimberlin Naivar. With runners on second and third, Sara Rupp hit in the first run of the day on a bloop single to left field. A drawn walk by Baker loaded the bases for Harris.
Ortiz’s home run came in the bottom of the fourth inning to answer the one run scored by the Mountaineers in the top half of the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wiley hit her team-leading 11th home run to dead centerfield for the first run of the inning. Back-to-back-to-back singles by Webb, Naivar and senior Alli Akina resulted in the eighth run of the day for Texas State. Akina’s single up the middle was her first hit of the season.
All three seniors recorded a hit in their senior day as senior Kortney Koroll hit a walk-off single up the middle for the ninth Bobcat run of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Randi Rupp earned her 21st victory of the season after putting in 6.0 innings of work in the circle while striking out eight batters and walking just two. She allowed just her second earned run in over 28 innings of work in the fourth inning.
Webb and Naivar led the Bobcats with two hits apiece and the Bobcats as a whole sprayed 10 hits on the day.
Texas State will now hit the road for the final four games of the regular season beginning with a non-conference midweek against No. 25 Texas A&M Wednesday evening. First pitch in College Station, Texas is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Live stats will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com.
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Eagles Drop Nail-Biter to Mississippi State in Nine Innings
STATESBORO, GA. – Georgia Southern took Mississippi State nine innings, but dropped a 7-5 decision to the Bulldogs. The Eagles went toe-to-toe with the Bulldogs in the Sunday finale to the series, carrying a lead in the non-conference battle against one of the SEC’s elite squads. Next up for the Eagles is the final regular season series of the year as rival Georgia State comes to town beginning on Friday night at 6 p.m.
“We did a lot of good things today and had a lot of opportunities to win the game,” said Head Coach Annie Smith. “We battled back throughout the game, but our pitchers did a great job against a very potent lineup. Our defense is tightening up over the last few games and our pitchers have really settled down. I’m really excited for the series next weekend against Georgia State to close the regular season.”
Mississippi State started Sunday’s game the same way as Saturday with a leadoff home run to quickly take a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs doubled their pleasure later in the frame when a triple turned into a 2-0 advantage through the first half inning of play.
Not to be outdone, Alesha Mann duplicated the feat in the bottom of the first, posting a leadoff home run for the Eagles. It was the first leadoff home run for the Eagles in the opening inning since Marie Fogle on March 19th, 2011. Fogle did it in both games of the doubleheader at Western Carolina that day.
The Bulldogs added another run in the second inning to stretch the lead to 3-1. Georgia Southern quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame following a pair of singles and a bunt with no outs in the frame. A walk to Mann scored a run, but the Eagles would leave the bases full as the lead fell to 3-2.
Georgia Southern took advantage of two Mississippi State errors in the third inning to plate three runs and take a 5-3 lead. Singles from Morgan Robinson and Kaitlyn Johnson opened the door for the Eagles who had a run score on a throwing error by the third baseman. Another throwing error by the second baseman allowed two more to score and gave the Eagles their first lead of the series.
The Bulldogs got a pair of unearned runs in the fourth to tie the game again at 5-5. Those would be the final runs scored in regulation as both pitching staffs settled down. The game went to extra innings with blank frames in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
Mississippi State staked itself to a two-run lead in the ninth thanks to a two-run home run by Mackenzie Toler. In the bottom of the ninth, Georgia Southern was dismissed in order to end the game.
After a shaky first inning, starting pitcher Heather Felt settled down, allowing just three earned runs over 3.2 innings in the no decision. Kierra Camp came on in relief and was stellar, throwing 5.1 innings of relief and allowing just the two runs off the ninth inning home run. She scattered five hits, but was hit with the hard-luck loss.
The Eagles are at home next weekend for three games to close the regular season against in-state rivals Georgia State. First pitch on Friday evening is set for 6 p.m. The series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader from 1 p.m.
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