The Troup softball team had to work for its first win of the season, knocking off no. 5 ranked Whitewater 10-9 in an instant classic.

The Tigers had to rally late, trailing by three runs heading to the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, down one and the bases loaded, junior Zoe Graham came through with a two-run double in the clutch.

“I’ve never done anything like this, not for Troup,” Graham said through tears. “I had a horrible game and when I went up there I knew I didn’t want to be the reason our team lost.”

Whitewater jumped out to a quick lead with two runs in the top of the first inning, but the Tigers offense had a quick response, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Kaylee Cardwell scored the first run of the game for Troup on a passed ball. Camdyn Bassett had an RBI groundout to knot the game up at two runs apiece.

The Wildcats would quickly recapture their lead with a run in the top of the second inning. 

Troup would once again find a response, tying the game up at three runs apiece in the bottom of the third. It was once again Bassett, the lone senior on the team, that came through, hitting a one-run double.

The game would not stay tied long with the Wildcats scoring four runs in the top of the fourth to take a commanding 7-3 lead.

Troup kept fighting and scored a run in the fourth to trim the deficit. An error allowed Kaylee Umfress to reach home. Unfortunately for the home crowd, the Tigers stranded a runner on second and third in the inning.

The Tigers were able to cut the deficit to just one run in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a two-run double from Junior Sheniyah Philpot, whose bat was sorely missed in the two opening games of the season. Despite having a runner on second base with no outs and then on third with two outs, the Tigers could not find the tying run.

Whitewater would make them pay in the top of the sixth with a run to extend its lead out to 8-6. The Wildcats would add another run to their lead in the top of the seventh. 

The rally was on in the bottom of the seventh to send the Wildcats home with a loss. Umfress walked with the bases loaded to drive home the first run of the inning. Cayleigh Godfrey hit a one-run single to cut the deficit to just one run. This let Graham step up and be the hero.

“I wanted to do it, not just for myself, but for my teammates, who really picked me up today,” an emotional Graham said after the game.

Umfress got the start in the circle, pitching two innings before making way for Kennedy McCoy and Kaitlyn Smalley. 

Bassett led the offense with three hits while Smalley had two hits. Philpot, Umfress, Olivia Damron and Gracie Baker all had one hit each. It was a coming out party for the Troup offense that scored just one run on three hits in its first two games combined. 

Troup starts the season 1-2 and 1-0 in region play with the caveat that the team has played three teams ranked in the top 5 of their respective classifications. The Tigers will return to action on Thursday for their first road contest of the season at Mary Persons for a region matchup.