The Troy softball team lost both games of a doubleheader against Coastal Carolina on May 1, with the Chanticleers securing walk-off victories in each contest. The Trojans ended their regular season with these defeats and now await their seeding for the upcoming Sun Belt Tournament.
These results matter as they determine Troy’s position in the conference tournament, which can impact their postseason opportunities. The Trojans are set to be either the No. 8 or No. 9 seed and could face Georgia Southern or Louisiana on May 6.
Dailynn Motes led Troy offensively, going two-for-five across both games with three runs batted in, including a home run and a double. Presley Ivey also contributed from the leadoff spot, collecting three hits and an RBI while drawing a walk. As a team, Troy reached over 100 stolen bases for the first time since 2016.
Pitcher Abby Lovell achieved her 100th strikeout of the season during game one, making her the first freshman pitcher at Troy to reach that milestone since Leanna Johnson in 2019. In game two, Savannah Money held Coastal Carolina scoreless for more than two innings while Ella Cunningham gave up only one run during her time pitching.
Head Coach Eric Newell said after the losses: “It was a tough one with two walk-offs, not being on the good side of it is never fun. Being on the road in the Sun Belt is tough. We talk about it all the time in pre-game huddles and post-game huddles, it’s about adapting from at-bat to at-bat, and the team that executes better is going to win.”
The Trojans have recorded several notable achievements this season: they are now 18-11 all-time against Coastal Carolina; they reached triple-digit stolen bases for just the fourth time ever; Ivey earned her tenth multi-hit game; Motes hit her third home run of this year; and Lovell became only Troy’s second freshman pitcher since Johnson to notch at least 100 strikeouts.
Looking ahead, Troy will prepare for its first-round matchup in Lafayette next week as part of its postseason campaign.
