The Trojans scored five runs in the third inning to beat the Dayton Flyers 7-3 in day one of the Troy University Softball Trojan Warrior Tournament.

After a tough trip to Tuscaloosa, where the Trojans were held scores in an 8-0 loss to Alabama, the Trojans offense exploded for seven runs.

“I think we are happy to back at home,” said Trojans head coach Beth Mullins. “Last game we played we gave up a big inning and in this game we had the big inning I think that was important.”

The Trojans lost to Alabama 8-0 earlier this week.

Friday, however, they returned home and found their spark.

The Flyers scored the game’s first run in the top of the first. Troy’s bats came alive in the bottom of the third. Walks by Hannah Day and Amanda Winters combined with singles by Erica Davis and Kate Benton to give Troy their first run. Ashley Rainey then came up and cleared the bases when she slammed a pitch off the top of the center field wall for a double to give the Trojans a 4-1 lead.

Khadija Neely later drove in Rainey on a base hit to increase the Trojans lead to 5-1.

“It was a huge RBI with the bases loaded by Ashley Rainey,” Mullins said. “She did a great job, and I thought the bottom and the middle of our order was incredible tonight.

The Trojans tallied another run in the fourth inning when Day doubled to centerfield scoring Becca Hartley.

After pitching four consecutive scoreless innings, starting pitcher Claire Graves ran into a bit of trouble in the fifth inning when Kathy Hess doubled to left field scoring the Flyers’ second run of the game. With two runners still on base, Graves was able to get a big strikeout keep the Trojans’ lead at four.

Graves went 5 2/3 innings while only allowing three runs on six hits.

“I thought she pitched great,” Mullins said. “She kept the ball low, and she fed our defense. She didn’t make it seven innings, but that’s why you have a staff.”

Peyton Glover came in and shut the door in the final two innings for the Trojans.

The Trojans tacked on their final run in the fifth inning. After Rainey was hit by a pitch, she was pitch ran for by Allison Moore. After making it to third base she would be sent home on the Flyers second illegal pitch of the evening.

The win for the Trojans brings them to 8-4 on the season. The Trojans play four games in the next two days: Dayton and Missouri State at noon and 2:30 p.m. today and Austin Peay and Mercer at noon and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“I love it,” Mullins said. “We are home. It’s going to be a beautiful day. The weather is going to be in the 60s; what better thing could you want?”