SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Towson University softball team wrapped up its opening weekend with two more games at the Founder's Classic hosted by USC Upstate. The Tigers fell to Ohio in six innings for the second straight day but once again bounced back, this time using four home runs to defeat Saint Francis 11-3 in six innings to finish 2-2 on the first weekend of the 2026 season.
 
Game 1: Towson 4, Ohio 12
Key Stats:

• Kinsley Peek had all three of Towson's hits including a double and a homerun with two RBIs.
• Mackenzie Gorczyca had a pair of RBIs.
• Olivia Trombley receives the loss after pitching 4.0 innings and allowing four hits and six runs (four earned) with two strikeouts.
• Jessa Pieters made her Towson debut on the mound pitching 1.0 inning of relief and allowing three hits and six runs (three earned).
• For Ohio: Kylie Gorsuch hit a homerun, Colleen Bare had a pair of hits and Mikie Lieving, Sydney Young and Izzie Wilson had multiple RBIs. Keegan Moore earned the win after pitching 4.0 innings and allowing three hits and four runs (two earned) with two strikeouts.

How it Happened:

• Kinsley Peek doubled and Kaci Benton walked to put two on in the top of the 1^st, with two outs Mackenzie Gorczyca reached on an outfield error and was thrown out at second, but both runners scored on the play giving the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.
• Olivia Trombley got the start on the mound for the Tigers. A walk, groundout and error allowed the Bobcats to cut the lead in half. Later in the inning with a bases loaded, a two-run single from Mikie Lieving gave Ohio a 3-2 lead after the opening frame.
• Towson drew a pair of walks to open the top of the 2^nd, but the next three batters were retired in order.
• An error and single put runners on second and third in the bottom of the 2^nd, before a wild pitch allowed a fourth run to score. A walk put runners on the corners before a Brenna Farmer steal attempt allowed Collen Bare to score from third making it 5-2 entering the 3^rd inning.
• A fielder's choice and a walk followed by a wild pitch put Tiger runners on second and third with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning without Towson getting any runs back.
• Trombley retired the side in order in the 3^rd and Ohio starter Keegan Moore did the same in the top of the 4^th.
• A leadoff walk and Izzie Wilson double made it a four-run deficit for Towson. A walk and a single loaded the bases, but Trombley induced a double play and a flyout to limit the damage.
• Leah Mears was hit by a pitch to lead off the 5^th and Peek hit a two-run homerun to cut the deficit in half.
• An error and a fielder's choice put two on for Ohio in the bottom of the 5^th. Another error allowed both runners to score and for Izzie Wilson to advance all the way to third. Wilson scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 9-4 after five innings.
• Kylie Gorsuch hit a homerun to lead off the bottom of the 6^th to push Ohio's lead to 10-4. A walk and a single put runners on second and third before Sydney Young hit a two-run single to end the game in six innings 12-4.

 
Game 2: Towson 11, Saint Francis 3
Key Stats:

• Kaci Benton had four hits and four RBIs with a homerun and two doubles.
• Kinsley Peek hit 4-4 with two doubles and scored four runs.
• Peek finished the day 7-8 at the plate between both games.
• Mackenzie Gorczyca had a pair of hits and an RBI.
• Alyssa Myint, Grace Franczyk, and Isabella Canesi both hit solo homeruns.
• Amanda Medina earns the win pitching 4.0 innings allowing four hits and three runs with one strikeout.
• Mikaela Guy pitched two innings of shutout relief allowing one hit with three strikeouts.
• For Saint Francis: Morgan Pasternak had three RBIs, Kate Hrinda receives the loss after pitching 5.0 innings and allowing nine hits and seven runs.

How it Happened

• Amanda Medina started on the mound for Towson, a double and two hit batters loaded the bases for Morgan Pasternak who hit into a fielder's choice that scored a pair of runs to give Saint Francis a 2-0 lead.
• Kinsley Peek and Kaci Benton both recorded hits to put two-on with one out a wild pitch followed by a Mackenzie Gorczyca single scored both runners to tie the game 2-2 after the 1^st.
• Medina faced the minimum in the next two innings.
• Peek doubled to lead off the bottom of the 3^rd then Benton hit a homerun to give Towson a 4-2 lead.
• A leadoff double in the top of the 4^th put a runner in scoring position for Pasternak, who picked up her third RBI of the day with a single.
• An Addison Miller walk and a two out single from Peek put a pair on base for Benton, who doubled to bring her RBI total up to four for the game and push Towson's lead to 6-3.
• In the bottom of the inning a double play brought Alyssa Myint to the plate with two outs and Myint hit a solo homerun to make it a 7-3 game entering the 6^th inning.
• Mikaela Guy struck out the side in a scoreless 6^th.
• Isabella Canesi pinch hit to lead off the home half of the sixth and hit Towson's third homer of the game to push the lead to five. Peek doubled and Benton singled to put runners on the corners. Benton attempted to steal second and a throwing error from the Red Flash catcher allowed both runners to score. The next batter Grace Franczyk hit her second homerun of the weekend to make it 11-3 Towson and end the game in the 6^th.

 
Up Next:
Towson will be back in South Carolina next week for the Purple and White Classic hosted by Furman from Friday, February 13 until Sunday, February 15.