Softball Perfect on Opening Day of Unconquered Invitational

Friday, February 24

Tallahassee, Fla.

9 a.m.

Troy University

8-3

Florida Gulf Coast

7-8

FGCU

Troy

Softball Perfect on Opening Day of Unconquered Invitational

2/24/2023 1:52:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 FGCU Box Score (PDF)Lamar Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Behind four long balls and freshman Olivia Cato's first career shutout, Troy Softball swept through its opening two games of the Unconquered Invitational hosted by Florida State on Friday.

Troy defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 5-4, in the first game as Taylor McKinney hit two home runs and drove in four, while Cato's shutout and home runs from Kelly Horne and Kennedi Gaton powered Troy to an 8-0 victory over Lamar in the second game.

The Trojans (9-3) have now won seven of their last eight games dating back to last Friday.

Troy 5, Florida Gulf Coast 4

Sophomore second baseman Taylor McKinney hit a pair of home runs and drove in a career-high four runs to lead Troy to a 5-4 victory over Florida Gulf Coast in Friday's opener.

McKinney, who also hit two home runs in a game last year against South Alabama, hit a 3-run bomb in the home half of the second inning following back-to-back lead-off walks by Libby Baker and Kelly Horne. She then provided what turned out to be the winning run in the fourth as she led off the frame with a blast over the wall in left for her third of the season.

Troy (8-3) struck first after D'Aun Riggs legged out her third triple of the season to open the bottom of the first, and she scored one pitch later on a perfect squeeze bunt off the bat of Audra Thompson.

Riggs finished 2-for-4 for her third multi-hit game of the season, tying her with Anslee Finch and Jade Sinness for second on the team behind McKinney, who recorded her fourth of the season in the victory over the Eagles.

The Eagles (7-8) answered with two in the second on an RBI single from Riley Oakes and a sac fly off the bat of Emily Chiarella. FGCU had the tying run at third and go-ahead run at first in the fifth inning with two runs already in that inning thanks to a 1-out double and a sac fly, but Leanna Johnson slammed the door to end the threat.

Johnson (6-1) moved one step closer to Troy history, picking up her sixth win of the season in the circle to move within 11 of becoming Troy's all-time leader in the category. She struck out four, walked three and allowed four runs – three earned – in the decision.

Ally Hulme (3-5) was saddled with the loss for the Eagles after she allowed two runs on five hits in three innings of relief.

Troy 8, Lamar 0

Kennedi Gaton and Kelly Horne homered, and Olivia Cato threw her first career shutout as Troy cruised to an 8-0 victory in five innings over Lamar in its second game of the day.

Cato (2-1) scattered a pair of hits and struck out two in her five innings of work in the circle and didn't walk a batter.

After a quiet first inning, Troy (9-3) put up a crooked number in each of the following three frames, with two in the second and third and four in the third. Horne's first homer of the season put the Trojans up 2-0 in the second after Libby Baker reached on a one-out single.

In the third, D'Aun Riggs bunted her way aboard for her third hit of the day and Taylor McKinney, who homered twice in the first game, drew a five-pitch walk. Following the second out of the inning, Anslee Finch doubled to left field for her fifth-extra base hit of the season to drive in both runs.

Troy's first two batters reached in the fifth, and Gaton ripped a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left for a 3-run homer pushing the Trojans' lead to 7-0. Katelynn de Leon and McKinney followed with singles and Jade Sinness put the game in run-rule status with a sac fly.

Anna Ruiz (0-5) took the loss for the Cardinals (2-10) after allowing seven runs on six hits in three innings of work.

Up Next
Troy continues play in Tallahassee on Saturday with a rematch against Florida Gulf Coast at 9 a.m. before taking on No. 6 Florida State at 3:45 p.m.