The Troy Trojans (17-14, 3-5 Sun Belt) made the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (19-6, 6-1 Sun Belt) work for the doubleheader sweep on Saturday with game one going to 11 innings and the Cajuns needed a sixth inning rally in the second matchup.
How It Happened
Troy was able to get out to an early 2-0 lead in game one when Katie Webb hit an RBI single out to right field that scored Logan Calhoun and Hope Hernandez. Kelli Martinez got the Cajuns on the board in the fifth when she was able to steal home due to a throwing error by Kaylee Hussey.
Beth Ashley tied things up in the sixth when she grounded out to Erica Davis, allowing Jolie Readeaux to reach home safely. It remained tied though until the top of the 11th when Beth Ashley hit an RBI double out to left field, followed up by an RBI triple from Aeriyl Mass was the deciding factor in game one of the double header, giving the Cajuns a 4-2 win.
Summer Ellyson improved to 9-3 with an 11 inning performance allowing two runs off of four hits, walked one and struck out 12 on the afternoon.
Game two started out much like the first with the Trojans getting out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a sac fly and Madeline Porter scoring on a wild pitch. That didn’t last long though the Cajuns responded in the top of the second with a pair of runs courtesy of a sac fly from Cassidy Chaumont and a groundout to Davis that allowed Kalyn Watts to tie things up.
The bottom of the second is where things got interesting with Troy getting out to a 7-2 lead thanks to a five-run inning highlighted by a two-run single to left center by Erica Davis. You can’t count out the Cajuns though because they responded with a two-run blast out to left field from Beth Ashley to chip away at the lead.
After Kara Gremillion scored off of a fielder’s choice in the fifth, Lexie Comeaux powered one out to left field in the sixth to sweep the twinbill.
Casey Dixon improved to 6-1 on the year allowing seven runs, only one of those was earned off of three hits, walked one, and struck out one in four and two-thirds of an inning.
Big Number: 2
The key to finishing the doubleheader with a win on Saturday came courtesy of two home runs from Beth Ashley (2) and Lexie Comeaux (4). This year’s Cajuns squad is different from previous teams because of the fact that they aren’t relying on the long ball nearly as much, with 14 home runs on the season.
Player of the Doubleheader: Summer Ellyson
11 innings. 152 pitches. 12 strikeouts. Yeah, that earns you some honors.
Next Up: Series Finale, First Pitch at 12 pm
-Clint Domingue