Troy University Athletics
Trojans Complete Sweep of Hatters on Senior Day
5/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - After clinching the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season title on Saturday night, there was every reason to expect a let-down from the Troy Trojans on Sunday in the final home game of the 2005 baseball season.
But, but with 11 seniors set to be honored in their final game at Riddle-Pace Field, there was no chance of a let-down, as the Trojans completed a three-game sweep of visiting Stetson 10-5.
Troy improved to 35-16 overall and 22-5 in the A-Sun with the victory, the Trojans' sixth straight. Stetson fell to 29-24 overall and 16-14 in the league. It was the Hatters' fifth consecutive loss.
It was one senior, in particular, who made sure there was no slowing of the Trojans' momentum on Sunday. Enterprise native Adam Godwin made a strong closing statement in his bid to be the A-Sun Player of the Year with a four hit performance that included two home runs and five runs batted in.
For good measure, the nation's top base-stealer also swiped three bags, giving him 76 on the year, good for eighth best on the NCAA single-season chart.
"This was a great way for us to go out on senior day," Godwin said. "We all had our families here, and we enjoyed winning the championship on Saturday night, but the most important thing today was to get another win."
Godwin got the Trojans off to a roaring start by hitting a solo homer off Stetson freshman Kevin Ferguson (0-2) to start the bottom of the first inning. It was the first lead off homer of the season for Godwin, but it was far from the end of his big day.
The Trojans scored in each of the first four innings on Sunday, building a 9-1 lead, which was more than enough for Troy freshman left-hander Steven Morelock (6-3). The Abbeville native opened the game by throwing strikes on his first 12 pitches and he struck out four of the first five Hatters he faced.
"You have to hand it to Steven Morelock, he had everything going for him today," Trojans coach Bobby Pierce said. "He and Adam got us off to a great start, and this was a great way for the seniors to finish here at Riddle-Pace."
Morelock needed just 63 pitches to get through six innings for the victory. He allowed just two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out five.
The Troy offense pounded out 16 hits against six Stetson pitchers. Every Trojan starter except Jared Keel, who was walked twice and had a sacrifice fly, had a hit. Godwin's three-run homer off Ferguson in the third capped a four-run inning.
"These seniors have been all about the team, and that is what I will miss most about them," Pierce said. "They understand what we are trying to do and what we try to teach and they have led the team all year."
In addition to Godwin's big day, senior Brian Bennett had three hits in the game. Blake Green, Clint Robinson and Bryan Madril had two hits each.
Stetson got solo homers from Jon Still and Adam Tindle, the bottom two hitters in the order, and the Hatters scored a pair of unearned runs in the eighth inning.
A trio of senior pitchers - Michael Davis, Brandon White and Lee Hyde - worked an inning each for Troy to close out the victory.
Even with the sweep of Stetson and the A-Sun title in hand, there is still work to be done by the Trojans before the Atlantic Sun Championship Tournament begins on May 25 in Deland, Fla. The Trojans play a final non-conference game on Tuesday night at Jacksonville State before playing the final league series on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Jacksonville.
"The JSU game on Tuesday is important for us because they are near the top of the OVC (Ohio Valley Conference)," Pierce said. "Beating them would be a feather in our cap as we work to make sure we are in position to get into the NCAA Tournament."
That game on Tuesday night is set for a 6:30 p.m. start in Jacksonville. Godwin said that game will be business as usual for the Trojans.
"We had a good time on Saturday because winning the A-Sun has been our goal all season," Godwin said. "Now we have a new goal of winning 40 games and getting to the NCAA Tournament."
