WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 15, 2023) - Leadoff hitter
Ashley Troutman set a new standard for Tars softball on Wednesday, stealing six bases in a game two win against Bloomsburg. Her offense helped the Tars to a pair of victories, giving them 11 straight wins. Their record now stands at 17-9 on the year.
Game One
Rollins 4
Bloomsburg 0
It was Troutman starting things off with a solo home run on the first pitch she saw in the bottom fo the first, sending over the right field fence. The Huskies threatened in the third inning with two runners in scoring position, but starter
Emily MacMullen was able to escape the jame with two groundouts.
Bloomsburg had another big chance in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs. Head coach
Christine Roser-LeFevers called on
Taylor Hartman to enter the circle, and she did her job perfectly, retiring the next three hitters and keeping the Huskies off the board.
The game remained 1-0 until the fifth inning when
Kaeli Zahradnik stole third, and was able to score when the throw down from the catcher sailed into left field. Two more runs came across in the sixth when Brie Michellli drove in Claire long on a sac fly, followed immediately by
Taylor Waters, who took advantage of a bad relay throw to score on the play as well.
Once more, Bloomsburg threatened in the final inning, putting two on with no one out. Thankfully, Hartman and closer
Morgan Lebeda were able to end the inning unscathed.
Troutman was 2-2 in the game with a home run, walk, run, RBI, and a steal.
MacMullen had three innings of scoreless pitching. Hartman earned the win with 3.2 innings and two strikeouts.
Game Two
Rollins 7
Bloomsburg 1
The highlight of the day came in game two when Troutman was unleashed on the Huskies. After Bloomsburg scored one in the top of the first, Troutman singled, stole second, stole third, and scored on a double steal to tie the game. A
Claire Long single drove in
Grace Germer to give Rollins a 2-1 lead.
In the second inning, Troutman laid down a perfect bunt with two outs to bring in
Emma Gipple. She then proceeded to swipe second base. A single from Germer drove in Zahradnik, but Troutman was thrown at home on the play to keep the score 4-1.
The bottom of the fourth saw Gipple lead things off with a solo bomb to left. Two batters later, Troutman reached base safely again via bunt single, and stuck to the script with a steal of both second and third base, giving her six swipes for the day, setting a new school record. The previous mark was four in one game, held by six players. Long then drove in Troutman with a single to right.
The Tars added their final run in the sixth when Germer brought in Gipple on a sac fly.
Troutman finished game two going 4-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Her season total now stands at 35, second-most in the country.
The Tars will put their win streak on the line this weekend when they host the Florid Tech Panthers in a SSC clash. The schedule was changed on Wednesday morning, moving the opening doubleheader from Saturday March 18 to Friday,, March 17. First pitch of game one will be at 2:00 PM in Winter Park.
