TROY, Ala. – Southeast Missouri (0-1) rallied for two runs and had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh inning but came up short in a 4-2 decision to Sun Belt Conference member Troy University (4-2) Thursday.
Down, 4-0, through six innings,
Gracie Luna singled and pinch hitter
Hailey Burnett walked. On the next play,
Sydney Melton reached on a fielder's choice and pinch runner
Kinley Wilkins scored SEMO's first run of the season on an error.
Brittany Affolter drew a two-out walk and
Tatum Gerwitz delivered a single through the right side to score Melton cutting Troy's lead to 4-2.
Madison Winkler then walked to load the bases before Trojan reliever Mya Holt got
Sydney Dennis to ground out and end the game.
Troy got on the board in the bottom of the first.
Taylor McKinney hit
Maddie Carney's first pitch of the season for a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and quickly scored on Caiden Oliva's bas hit through the left side.
The Trojans later had the bases loaded with one out before Carney ended the threat when she forced Reaghan Oney to hit into a double play keeping the score at 1-0.
Troy tacked on another run by way of a two-out double from Cassidy Boltz in the bottom of the third. Boltz knocked in pinch-runner Megan Loftis to put the Trojans ahead, 2-0.
A walk and hit by pitch put runners at first and second for the Trojans in the home half of the fourth inning.
Following a double steal, Makaley Boswell scored when Natalie Turner reached on a fielder's choice. McKinnon Howard later touched home on a bases loaded walk to widen Troy's lead to 4-0.
Luna, in her first career start at first base, posted SEMO's first hit of the season on a leadoff infield single in the top of the second. Gerwitz then reached on a one-out double in the third to give the Redhawks their first runner in scoring position.
SEMO had a scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth where Melton doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball. Melton, however, was left on base after Troy's Esmee Ames recorded three-straight outs.
Alyssa Faircloth (2-1) picked up the win. Faircloth struck out eight, gave up two hits and walked one in four scoreless innings.
Holt earned her first save after ending SEMO's threat in the seventh.
Troy outhit SEMO, 7-5.
Luna went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Gerwitz finished at 2-for-3 with one RBI to pace the Redhawks.
Carney (0-1) worked three innings allowing three runs on six hits in her first start of the year.
SEMO resumes play at the Cardinal Clash with games against Western Kentucky (9 a.m.) and Alabama State (2:30 p.m.) Friday.
