March 22, 2003
Marietta, Ga. - In a game featuring five lead changes and five home runs, Troy State used a grand slam in the sixth inning to out power the Western Kentucky University softball team, 11-9 in Georgia Tech's Buzz Classic. Sophomore Dana Rey belted her third homer of the day in the losing effort and added a RBI single to give her nine RBI over WKU's final two games.
Western got on the board early compliments of Rey's third home run of the day. Troy State answered right back in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast from Erin Flater, scoring Jenny Boyd to make the score 3-2. The Trojans tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the second after pinch runner Megan Kosiba scored on a sacrifice fly from Jessie Buehler.
TSU's Tamra Howren added a solo shot in the bottom of the third to give the Trojans their first lead of the game. They later increased their edge to two runs, 5-3, three batters later when Flater scored on an RBI double from Bonnie Belin, ending senior Kristalyn Smith's stint on the mound.
The Hilltoppers recaptured the lead, albeit for a short time, after Smith scored on an RBI single from freshman Natasha Sevco to put WKU ahead 6-5. TSU's Flater retaliated with her second home run of the game, this one coming off freshman Adrienne Lathrop, to put the Trojans on top 7-6.
Western appeared in control when Smith cracked her second home run of the day in the top of the sixth, a three-run shot to put WKU ahead 9-7. But the Trojans responded once again as the first two TSU batters reached base against Lathrop, who was pulled in favor of junior Allison Silver.
WKU's ace came on in the bottom of the sixth with a chance to pick up her second save of the year, facing two on and no outs. After recording the first two outs of the inning, Silver walked the third batter she faced on a close fourth ball to load the bases. TSU's Molly Homer put the Trojans ahead for good with the game-winning grand slam, sending the Hilltoppers (14-14) and Silver (6-6) down to .500.
Sophomore Renita Pennington stole her 12th base of the season in the losing effort, tying the WKU season record held by teammate Jessie Richardson and Angela Dunhour. The Hilltoppers close out the Buzz Classic with a game against Radford on Sunday at 11 a.m. (EST).
- WKU -
