TROY, Ala. | South Alabama scored runs in each of the first two innings, but Troy rallied back and took game one of the series Friday night on Taylor McKinney's 10th-inning, walk-off home run at the Troy Softball Complex.

South Alabama (27-16-1, 12-7 SBC) was held to just three hits on the night. Odalys Cordova drove in one run for the Jags with her second home run of the season, while Olivia Branstetter also plated a run.

Troy (32-17, 12-7 SBC) moved into a tie with the Jags in the Sun Belt Conference standings with the win. Jade Sinness had a pair of hits, including a RBI double that tied the game in the seventh, and reached base three times. McKinney also had a pair of hits and Anslee Finch homered for the Trojans.

How It Happened 
•    D'Aun Riggs lined a one-out, single back up the middle in the bottom of the first, and Libby Baker followed with a single of her own to left to put a pair aboard for Troy. Both runners then moved up a base on a wild pitch, but with the two Trojans in scoring into scoring position, Olivia Lackie (19-7) retired the next two batters as she got McKinney looking and Finch to fly out to center.
•    With one away in the top of the second, Cordova put the Jags out in front as she drove a 1-0 offering from Libby Baker (13-8) over the wall in left center (USA, 1-0) for her second home run of the season.
•    Marley Sims and Mackenzie Brasher lined back-to-back one-out singles to left in the Jaguar third. Gabby Stagner then drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases, and one batter later, Branstetter plated a run with a sac fly to center (USA, 2-0).
•    Finch pulled the Trojans within one with a two-out home run in the bottom of the fourth – her fourth of the spring (USA, 2-1) – ending a streak of 10-straight retired by Lackie
•    Sims reached for the second time in as many plate appearances as she walked on four-straight out of the zone to begin the South Alabama fifth. The senior shortstop then moved into scoring position on a passed ball and Brasher then walked to put a pair on. Baker was able to prevent the Jags from adding on anymore runs as she got a double play and then a fielder's choice to end the inning.
•    Natalie Turner laid down a two-out bunt in the bottom half of the inning and Sinness singled back up the middle to put a pair on. Riggs drew a walk to load the bases, but Lackie was able to get out of the jam and maintain the one-run lead as Baker flew out to center to end the inning.
•    Cassidy Boltz reached on a one-out infield single in the bottom of the seventh and after a strikeout, Sinness tied the game up (2-2) with a RBI double off the wall in center.
•    South Alabama had an excellent scoring opportunity in the top of the ninth. Sidney Lee drew her second walk of the game with one out, and Welch then laid down a bunt and pinch runner Caitlyn Gavin beat the throw to second to move into scoring position.  The Trojan defense came up with back-to-back defensive plays though to strand the runners after a diving grab in shallow right center by Sinness and a out on a hard-hit liner to Kayden Dunn at first.
•    Sarah Beth Brake reached on an infield single to lead off the bottom of the ninth. With one out, pinch runner Mia Tidmore was moved into scoring position on a sac bunt by Turner. Sinness walked to put a pair on, but Lackie was able to get a fielder's choice to second to leave the runners on base.
•    After the Jags went in order in the top half of the inning, McKinney homered with one out to center field to give the Trojans the one-run victory (Troy, 3-2).

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the 50th in the all-time series and the 25th series meeting in Troy
•    The loss snapped South's four-game win streak in the series
•    Troy has won six of the last eight series meetings on its home field
•    The extra-inning game was the fifth in the all-time series
•    In a streak dating back to May 7, 2021, Brasher has made 154 consecutive starts, which is four shy of tying Kristian Foster (158) for sixth all-time in the category
•    With her third-inning single, Brasher has now had a hit in 15 of her last 19, tallying 24 hits over the 19-game stretch, and also reached base safely in 17 of those contests
•    Stagner has also reached base safely in 36 games this season 
•    Bailey Welch extended her reached base streak to six straight and has now reached base safely in 17 of her last 22

Up Next
•    South Alabama will continue the series with Troy on Saturday with first pitch of game two set for 4 p.m. at the Troy Softball Complex.

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