Troy softball loses double-header
<p>Left fielder Cheyenne Jordan, left, meets centerfielder Tana Thill and comes up with the out despite the collision. Second out bottom of first inning second of a double header vs. Plains.</p>
<p>Great play by catcher Lexi Tunison for the first out top of the fifth in the first game of a doubleheader Friday vs. Plains.</p>
<p>Shortstop Aurora Becquart puts the tag on Jena Peterson for the third out top of third first of a doubleheader vs. Plains March 27, 2015.</p>
First-year head coach Keith Haggerty and the Lady Trojans took the diamond for the first time this season in a double header in which they were swept by the Plains Trotters.
The Trotters were a lot to handle from the get-go as they raced out to a 7-0 lead at the end of the first inning. Freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Downey ended the inning for the Lady Trojans with a strikeout.
The pitching was strong for both teams in the second inning, as neither team was able to get a runner around the bases, but Plains did manage to sneak one in for one run in the third inning.
Lady Trojans sophomore Riley Maggi got things started for Troy in the bottom of the fourth inning when she blasted a shot to left field for an RBI single that got the Lady Trojans on the scoreboard. The Lady Trojans got one runner home in the fifth inning to make the score 5-12 going into the sixth inning of play.
Plains got five runners across the plate in the top of the sixth inning. Troy was able to get two back to the plate when Kaitlyn Downey doubled for Troy bringing in a run. The game was called after six innings of play due to the ten run rule.
“Kaitlyn Downey really stepped up to the challenge pitching” Haggerty said, “she didn’t even know she was pitching until that day. The ladies did a great job overcoming hard times. Kaitlyn and Brenna did a great job pitching, our defense was really good and when we got on base we took advantage of it.”
The girls were given some time to rest up and munch on some burgers from the concession stand between games before getting ready to start the second game of the double header.
When the action resumed, leadoff hitter Rebecca Rotolo got things rolling for Troy when she was walked. She then stole second and third bases to set herself up in scoring position. A miscommunication with the Plains pitcher and catcher provided the perfect opportunity for Rotolo to dash to home plate getting the Lady Trojans on the scoreboard first. Aurora Becquart kept things rolling for Troy with a triple to right field, but was not able to make it home.
Plains got off to a great start in the first two innings taking a 1-9 lead over the home team Lady Trojans. Both teams went scoreless in the third inning.
In the top of the fourth, Kylie Carr was able to get on base with a walk and make the most of it as she capitalized on errors from the Trotters and made it home for the lone run of the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Aurora Becquart was back at the plate and smacked another triple for the Lady Trojans. Just moments later she was able to make the most of a pitch that got past the Trotters’ catcher and make it all the way home for Troy’s only run of the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Troy made a double play to finish out the inning. Kaitlyn Downey was able to snag the ball out of the air and throw it to first baseman Kylie Carr to complete the double play. Tana Thill was able to get on the bases when she was walked and made it all the way home on another error by the Plains catcher.
The game was then called due to the closing darkness with the Lady Trojans losing 4-11 through six innings. Haggerty is looking forward to how the team progresses after these first games, “If the girls work hard they should beat Drummond, who was last in the league last year, and were the girls’ only two victories, but anything can happen. We’ve just got to stay focused.”