TROY, Ala. – After trailing by four runs in the fourth inning, the ULM softball team put together a six-run spree and held the Trojans to just one last run to pull out a 6-5 come-from-behind victory at the Troy Softball Complex Saturday afternoon. With the win the Warhawks split the doubleheader with the Trojans after falling in the first game 3-0.
The win also marks the first regular season victory at the Troy Softball Complex for ULM in program history. The Warhawks have won only one other game in Troy when they upset the Trojans in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in 2008.
With Troy leading 4-0 in the top of the fifth inning ULM (13-13, 2-3 SBC) began to mount its comeback when it broke out with four runs to even the score 4-4. Roxy Cassel belted an RBI single up the middle to plate Brianna Love and spark the scoring spree as Katie Girardi followed with a two RBI single to score Jessica Olguin and Elena DiMattia.
Olguin scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning after reaching on a single before a wild pitch allowed her to advance to home. Girardi grounded out to allow Cassel to score on the throw and give the Warhawks a 6-4 lead.
Olguin had an impressive 4-for-4 performance to lead ULM with two runs and one stolen base while Katie Girardi went 2-for-3 with a team-high three RBI. Olguin, Lacey Willis and Melissa Rivera each also had a stolen base.
Jessica Chastka (2-1) was credited the win after she relieved Heather Fritz and threw 3.1 innings with five hits for just one run and one strikeout. Fritz threw 1.1 innings of relief for starter Stephanie Routzon who was pulled after 2.1 innings.
The Trojans put the first run on the board in the first inning with an RBI double by Hayden Gann before they tacked on another run off a RBI single in the second inning. Troy added two more runs in the third inning as Gann nailed her second RBI double of the game and Taylor Smartt had a sacrifice fly to plate two more runs and give it a 4-0 lead.
Troy (18-10, 1-1 SBC) attempted to take the game back in the seventh inning when Gann singled through the right side to score Kelly Luquette and bring the score within one 6-5. However, Sarah Shields grounded into a 4-3 double play with the game-tying and winning runs on base to seal the 6-5 victory for ULM.
Gann also had a 4-for-4 performance with three RBI, one run and two doubles to lead Troy while four other Trojans each tallied a run. Ashlyn Williams (7-6) received the loss in the circle after throwing 2.2 innings of relief for starter Morgan Grove as she allowed the two game-winning runs off two hits with one strikeout.
ULM and Troy face off in the deciding game of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Troy Softball Complex.
