SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Towson University softball team opened the 2026 season on Friday with its first two games of the Founders Classic hosted by USC Upstate. The Tigers fell to Ohio 9-0 the begin the day, before rebounding at the plate to take a dramatic 9-8 win in eight innings over the Spartans.
 
Game 1: Towson 0, Ohio 9
Key Stats:

• Amanda Medina receives the loss allowing eight hits and four runs (two earned) with two strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
• Mikaela Guy made her Towson debut in relief and pitched 2.0 innings of five run ball.
• For Ohio: Kylie Gorsuch had a homerun and four RBIs, Belle Hummel had four hits, Mikie Lieving homered and Skipp Miller earned the win on the mound pitching a complete game shutout with four strikeouts.

 
How it Happened:

• Amanda Medina got the start for Towson and allowed the first two batters to reach before Kylie Gorsuch hit a three-run homerun to give the Bobcats a 1st inning lead.
• With two outs in the bottom of the 1^st, Grace Franczyk and Mackenzie Gorczyca hit back-to-back singles, but Ohio pitcher Skipp Miller kept the Tigers off the board in the opening frame.
• Medina struck out the first two batters she saw in the 2^nd, but the Bobcats put runners on the corners with two outs and Colleen Bare's steal attempt resulted in a Towson error allowing Belle Hummel to score making it 4-0 Ohio.
• Miller faced the minimum in the 2nd and 3rd and Medina worked a scoreless 3rd as well.
• A double, single and hit by pitch loaded the bases for Ohio in the top of the 4^th for Gorsuch. A groundball to Alyssa Myint allowed the senior to throw out the lead runner at home, and a pop-up from the next batter saw Medina escape the jam unscathed.
• A Kaci Benton single couldn't start a Tiger rally in the 4^th, and the top of the 5^th saw Mikaela Guy replace Medina on the mound. A single followed by a Mikie Lievin homerun pushed Ohio's lead to six.
• The Tigers put runners on the corners in the bottom of the frame thanks to a pinch-hit Amanda Ashe single but couldn't get on the board.
• A five-hit top of the 6^th saw the Bobcats increase their lead to nine and Towson couldn't close the gap as Ohio claimed a 9-0 win in six innings.

 
Game 2: Towson 9, USC Upstate 8
Key Stats:

• Addie Ferguson hit 2-4 with a homerun, a triple and three RBIs.
• Grace Franczyk hit a three-run homerun.
• Leah Mears in her first career start had a hit and three walks.
• Kinsley Peek had a pair of RBIs in her Towson debut.
• Addison Miller had a pair of hits and a walk in her first career start.
• Kaci Benton and Alyssa Myint each had hits and RBIs.
• Olivia Trombley started on the mound and pitched 5.0 innings allowing eight hits and five runs (three earned) with three strikeouts.
• Mikaela Guy earned her first career win pitching 3.0 innings of relief allowing six hits and two runs.
• For USC Upstate: Taliyah Thomas had five hits, and Ella Christopher had three hits and three RBIs. Maddie Drerup receives the loss after pitching 2.0 innings allowing one hit and two runs (one earned) with a pair of strikeouts.

 
How it Happened

• Leah Mears and Kinsley Peek each walked to start the game, and Grace Franczyk hit a sharp fly ball to left center. The ball found the glove of Spartan centerfielder Taliyah Thomas, but her ensuing collision with the wall saw the ball fall over the fence for a homerun. In the confusion, Franczyk passed Peek on the base paths resulting in an out and only two runs scoring for Towson.
• Towson starter Olivia Trombley worked around a pair of singles to pitch a scoreless bottom of the 1^st.
• Addison Miller recorded her first career hit in the 2^nd inning but that was all for Towson in the frame.
• Trombley walked the leadoff batter in the 2^nd, the next batter Abby Polk hit a grounder to third and a pair of Towson errors allowed both runners to score and tie the game.
• Kaci Benton came to the plate with a runner on 1^st and one out in the top of the 3^rd and doubled down the rightfield line to return the lead to Towson. Another walk brought up Alyssa Myint with two on and Myint restored the two-run lead with an RBI single.
• A 1-6-3 double play allowed Trombley to face the minimum in the bottom of the 3^rd.
• Mears singled with one out to reach base for the third time and Peek doubled to the gap to make it 5-2 Towson.
• A walk and a stolen base in the bottom of the 4^th brought up pinch hitter Mackenzie Bernal whose single cut the lead to 5-3.
• Addie Ferguson led off the 5^th inning with a homerun to center field to restore Towson's three-run lead. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Peek who was hit by a pitch to increase the lead to 7-3.
• A double before a homerun from Ella Christopher cut Towson's lead in half in the 5^th, but Trombley avoided any further damage in the inning.
• A pair of walks put two on with one out for the Tigers in the 6^th, but a fielder's choice and a strikeout kept Towson's lead at two.
• Mikaela Guy replaced Trombley in the 6^th, a single and a pair of groundouts put a runner on third with two outs then the next three batters all singled to score a pair and tie the game 7-7 entering the 7^th.
• Peek drew a walk with two outs in the top of the 7^th to bring up Franczyk, but the senior lined out to left center and the game entered the bottom of the 7^th still tied.
• Despite a two-out double, Guy retired the next batter to send the game to extras.
• A leadoff fielder's choice in the 8th put two one for Ferguson who tripled to score both runners making it 9-7 Towson. The Tigers threatened for more, but a double play sent the inning to the home half.
• A pair of groundouts put a runner on third with two outs when a pop fly fell behind the infield to score the runner making it 9-8. The next batter hit a line drive to left field that was caught by a diving Peek to end the game and seal a thrilling 9-8 win for Towson.

 
Up Next:
Towson finished its slate at the Founder's Classic with two more games tomorrow. Saturday begins with a rematch against the Bobcats at 10 a.m. followed by a 12:30 p.m. game against Saint Francis to close out the weekend.