Troy survives: Troy Ponytails throttle Greenville 10-3, advance to day four of District 6 West Tournament
Published 10:08 pm Monday, June 25, 2018
- Messenger photo/dan smith Troy baserunner Zoe Warren celebrates a base hit with coach Terry Garrett Monday. Troy beat Greenville 10-3.
The Troy Ponytails advanced in the District 6 West Tournament after they knocked off Greenville 10-3 on Monday night in Jack.
With the win, the Ponytails advance to take on host Zion Chapel for the right to play in the tournament championship.
“It’s very exciting,” said head coach Jonathan Earles. “The girls have worked hard. We had Kylan Wilkerson in the circle. She bowed up and took us on her back. They played solid behind her and we got some timely hits. We had girls lay down bunts when we needed them to be lain down and we scored runs because of it.”
Wilkerson had 10 strikeouts and just four walks in her outing.
“She throws a screwball and it was working very well,” Earles said. “She struggled in the first inning. She had the bases loaded with no outs, but she was able to work herself out of it.”
Troy entered the game staring at elimination thanks to Saturday night’s loss. Earles reminded them about the team’s ultimate goal of making it to Louisiana for the World Series.
“I told them Saturday morning that it starts here, but it doesn’t end until Alexandria, Louisiana,” Earles said. “I keep pounding into them and reminding them about all the hard work we put in, all the sweat we dropped on those fields in Troy, this is what it’s all about. It’s about finishing here and moving on to Eufaula.”
In a game where 10 runs were scored, it was a player that never reached base that stuck out to Earles the most. Tera Walker picked up two sacrifice bunts that helped Troy score runs.
“She layed down those bunts perfectly and we were able to score some runs,” Earles said. “That was huge.”
Zoe Warren picked up two RBI base hits, both of which came with two outs in the inning.
Troy’s game against Zion Chapel will begin at 6 p.m.
“We are just going to have to come out and play like we can,” Earles said. “I am convinced that these girls have it. They can play with anybody. They just have to convince themselves of that. I think tonight, after this win, they are convinced.”