With clutch pitching and timely hitting, the Troy State softball team won two games Saturday and claimed the 2001 Lady Trojan Invitational title.

In the championship game against Middle Tennessee, Troy State (7-2) took a 1-0 lead with no outs in the second when Patti Barnett doubled to right center, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Jana Petty’s single up the middle.

With Troy State pitcher Kim Unkenholz cruising along with a two-hitter through six, the Lady Raider bats awoke in the top of the seventh. MTSU’s (2-3) Lisa Sherman singled to center, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Wendy Pollock and advanced to third on a single by Jennifer Martinez. Sherman crossed the plate one batter later when Kristina Hieb singled up the middle. Unkenholz (3-0) then settled down to get the next two batters to ground out and end the rally.

In the home half of the seventh, after the first two batters grounded out, the Lady Trojans reeled off consecutive singles by Erica Cruzat, Bridget McInnes and Tiffany Jones. Cruzat scored the game-winning run on Jones’ poke over second base to give Troy State a 2-1 victory.

In the second game of the day, Troy State needed nine innings to defeat a pesky Faulkner squad, 2-1. After seven scoreless innings, the Hawks opened the eighth with Britney Hough on second base. Hough advanced to third on Kenzie Burgess’ ground out to pitcher Cassie Wilkenson (3-1) and scored on Lanae Holaway’s single to right field.

The Lady Trojans answered in the bottom of the eighth with a run of their own but left the bases loaded and the game went to the ninth, tied at one. After holding the Hawks in the top of the ninth, Troy State needed just two at bats to advance Kami Marrott from second base to home for the winning run. She scored on Tiffany Jones’ one out single to left field.

In the first game of the day, Faulkner erased two MTSU leads to win 3-2, in nine innings.

Troy State is back in action when it travels to Atlanta, Ga., to face Georgia Tech in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 24.