TROY, Ala. – Tiffany Mills held Troy hitless through the first five innings of the game before giving up a single run in the seventh inning to lead the ULM softball team to a 7-1 defeat of the Trojans Sunday afternoon at the Troy Softball Complex. The win gave the Warhawks their first-ever series win over the Trojans.
Mills (7-8) threw four strikeouts in the complete game performance and gave up just two walks and one run in four hits, three coming in the seventh inning. Troy broke up Mills' no-hitter in the sixth inning when Kelly Luquette found the gap at left center to double, but was unable to score.
Roxy Cassel led the Warhawks with a 2-for-4 performance at bat that included one run and a game-high three RBI. Brianna Love went 1-for-1 with three walks, one intentional for a team-high two runs. Cassel also nailed her sixth double of the season while Love and Janel Salanoa each stole one base.
ULM (14-13, 3-3 SBC) came out on fire in the first inning with a Love single on the first pitch of the game to eventually come around and score the first run off a Salanoa single to center field. Melissa Rivera followed with a two-RBI single just over the second baseman's head to plate Katie Girardi and Salanoa and take an early 3-0 lead.
Cassel added two runs to the Warhawks' lead in the second inning with a two-RBI shot to left field that sent Elise West home and allowed Miyuki Navarrete to score on a throwing error by the left fielder.
Aggressive base running and a wild pitch put Love on third in the fourth inning when Cassel ripped a double to center field to collect her third RBI of the game. The junior catcher followed off a Girardi single to give the Warhawks a 7-0 cushion.
Troy (18-11, 1-2 SBC) scored its lone run in the seventh inning when Kortney Cooper had an RBI single to left center to plate Kacie McAllister and prevent a shutout. The Trojans flied out to right field with two left on base to end the game 7-1.
Luquette went 1-for-3 to lead the Trojans while three others also had a hit. Ashlyn Williams (7-7) suffered her second-straight loss in the circle after allowing six hits, seven runs and three walks with three strikeouts.
The Warhawks return to Monroe for a busy five-game week beginning with two mid-week games on Tuesday and Wednesday. ULM hosts Centenary at 5 p.m. on Tuesday before completing their home-and-away series against Stephen F. Austin Wednesday at 5 p.m.
