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The Troy Trojans softball team (4-2) opened the 2024 season with the Trojan Invitational this weekend.

Troy went 4-2 on the weekend with wins over UT-Martin, Samford and North Alabama. The Trojans kicked off the weekend with a 7-4 win over UT-Martin on Feb. 9. After scoring off a bases loaded walk in the first inning, D’Aun Riggs hit an RBI single that drove Natalie Turner home in the second inning. Later in the second, Jade Sinness drove Riggs home with a fly ball into center field.

UT-Martin rallied to score three runs in the next two innings to tie the score, but Troy exploded to score four runs in the fourth inning. Sinness drove home both Makaley Boswell and Turner and then Taylor McKinney hit an RBI single that drove Riggs home and Audra Thompson drove Sinness home. UT-Martin added a run in the fifth inning but that was as close as they would get.

Riggs, McKinney and Turner each had two hits in the game, while Sinness earned three RBIs and Thompson tallied two RBIs.

Libby Baker got the win in the circle with three strikeouts and four earned runs in five innings pitched, while Haley Pittman earned the save with two strikeouts and no runs allowed in two innings.

Brantley native Kayden Dunn earned 10 putouts at first base, while Sarah Beth Brake got the start at catcher and earned five putouts and one assist.

Troy followed up with a 7-4 loss to North Alabama later in the day. North Alabama jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second inning and never looked back. Riggs led Troy at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two runs, while Baker went 3-for-4 with a run and a double and Sinness went 3-for-4.

Oliva Cato took the loss in the circle with two strikeouts and five earned runs in two innings, while Savannah Money made her Troy debut with one strikeout and two earned runs allowed in three and 1/3 innings. Pittman pitched one and 2/3 innings and struck out a pair of batters, while giving up no hits or runs.

The Trojans swept Saturday with a 7-3 win over UT-Martin and a 6-5 win over Samford. Against UT-Martin, McKinney went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base, a double and a run. Alyssa Faircloth earned her first start of her career and first win in the circle with five strikeouts and three earned runs allowed in five and 1/3 inning pitched. Pittman earned a strikeout and just one hit and no runs allowed. Baker tallied seven putouts on defense.

Against Samford, the Trojans gave up a two-run home run in the third inning but then outscored the Bulldogs 6-3 for the remainder of the game.

With the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth, Troy’s Cassidy Boltz hit a walk-off RBI single that drove Thompson home for the winning run. McKinney led Troy at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

Baker pitched all eight innings and fanned three batters, while giving up five hits and three earned runs. McKinney tallied five putouts and three assists on defense.

Troy split the final two games of the tournament, beating North Alabama 2-1 and falling to Samford 5-1 on Sunday.

In the bottom of the eighth inning against North Alabama – with the score tied 1-1 – Sinness hit a walk-off RBI single that drove Mia Tidmore home for the winning run. Siness went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, while McKinney went 2-for-3 with a double.

Faircloth got the win in the circle with two strikeouts and one earned run allowed in four innings pitched, while Pittman pitched four innings and struck out a batter with no earned runs allowed. Tidmore had six putouts and one assist at catcher.

In the loss to Samford, Riggs went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Money struck out two batters and gave up five earned runs in three and 2/3 innings in the circle. Thompson had five putouts and two assists on defense.

Troy remains at home this week with a game against Alabama State on Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. before hosting the Trojan Classic Feb. 15-18 against Indiana, Gardner-Webb and Florida A&M.