Troy University Athletics
Trojans Down Samford 9-5 In Home Opener
2/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - Troy got a second straight strong pitching performance from senior Landon Brazell coupled with a 13-hit offensive attack to defeat Samford 9-5 Friday night in the Trojans' 2005 home-opener at Riddle-Pace Field.
With the victory, Troy coach Bobby Pierce now has 600 wins in his coaching career. The Trojans evened their season record at 2-2 while dropping Samford to 1-1 on the year. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the second game of a three-game series.
Troy broke open a scoreless game with a four-run third inning off Samford starting pitcher Scott Fowler (0-1). A pair of walks to start the inning set the stage for sophomore Clint Robinson, who tripled into the right field corner. It was Robinson's third triple of the young season.
Nick Smith followed with an RBI single, stole second and then scored on a single by Chase Amis.
Samford answered the runs with two of their own off Brazell (1-0) in the fourth. The Dothan native retired the first nine Bulldogs in order, but walked the first two in the fourth to get himself into trouble. After getting a strikeout, Samford's Garrett Rice doubled in a run and Bear Burnett followed with a run scoring single to cut the Troy lead to 4-2.
Troy got those two runs back in the bottom of the inning when Jared Keel delivered a two-run, two-out triple to the gap in right center. Brian Bennett and Smith, who had both singled, scored on the play, give Troy a 6-2 lead.
The only other glitch Brazell faced in his six innings of work was a solo homer by Matt Alling in the sixth. Brazell allowed just four hits while striking out eight and walking just two.
Troy added a single run in the seventh on a homer by Henry Gutierrez and plated two in the eighth on an RBI double by Smith and a wild pitch.
Troy relievers Tony Falls and Ryan Ramsey combined to walk four in the eighth inning to allow Samford to score. The Bulldogs plated their final run in the ninth on a walk, single and ground out.
Robinson, Smith and Amis had three hits each for the Trojans in the win while Bennett had two.
