Trojans Outlast Ospreys, 11-10

Wednesday, March 19

Troy, Ala.

6:00 PM

Troy University

North Florida

3/19/2008 5:00:00 AM | Baseball

TROY, Ala.- Josh Blackwell doubled in a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings and had a hit in the bottom of the 11^th to help the Trojans to the 11-10 win over North Florida, Wednesday night at Riddle-Pace Field.

“This was a big win for is because it was a win,” coach Bobby Pierce said. “This snapped the losing skid that we were on and it gives us a win heading into the conference weekend.”

Troy's Adam Bryant led off the bottom of the 11^th inning with a bunt single just inside the third base line. Charley Williams followed with a walk and the bases were loaded after a single by Blackwell. Paul Gatchell picked up the game-winning RBI on a bases loaded walk to end the game.

North Florida (9-9) took the lead with two run in the top of the eighth inning when Paul Morales doubled to center and Ryan Lowe doubled to right field. Chad Knight reached on an error by Michael Precise allowing both runners to score, giving the Ospreys the 10-9 lead.

Troy (13-7) plated a run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra frames locked at 10-10. Lance Miller led off the inning with a single. Steven Felix pinch ran and stole second and third. Charley Williams reached base on a walk. Josh Blackwell doubled to right field scoring Felix from third. Williams was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play.

The Trojans struck in the first inning when Bart Pettus led off the inning with a single up the middle. Pettus advanced to second on a balk by pitcher Ty Pryor. Bryan Miller fouled out to right field with Pettus taking third. Lance Miller picked up the RBI on a single to right field putting the Trojans on the board 1-0.

North Florida answered back in the top of the second inning when Mike Powers walked two batters and Travis Martin scored on a balk giving the Ospreys a run and knotting the score, 1-1

UNF got its first hit of the game in the fifth inning and took the lead when Michael Smith was hit by a pitch and scored on a RBI double to right center by Paul Morales. Morales scored on a RBI single to left field by T. J. Thompson giving the Ospreys the 3-1 lead.

The Trojans put together the scoring inning that they have been looking for, over the last several games. Troy scored eight runs on eight hits in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Bryan Miller led off the inning with a double and was followed by Brooks, who reached on a walk. Michael Precise singled scoring Miller. Lance Miller picked up an RBI on a single to center field. Trevor Tyre reached base on a perfectly placed bunt down the third base line. Charley singled through the right side plating Precise form third. Josh Blackwell flied out to center for the first out in the inning as he picked up Lance Miller from third. Brett Henry walked and was followed by Pettus with an RBI single. Bryan Miller picked up his second hit of the inning on a RBI single to center. Brooks hit a sacrifice fly to center plating the seventh run of the inning. Precise singled to left scoring Pettus to end the inning and giving Troy the 9-3 lead.

North Florida answered the Trojan explosion with five run in the top of the seventh inning. The Ospreys scored five runs on four hits to go along with one Trojan error to close the gap to 9-8.

“Western Kentucky is a very good team and they are well coached,” Pierce said. “They took two games from us last year and this will be a big series for us as far as the league race goes.”

The Trojans were led at the plate by Pettus and Lance Miller who each had three hits. Precise, Miller and Blackwell each had two RBI.

The Trojans will hit the road again this weekend when they travel to Bowling Green, Ky. to face Western Kentucky in a Sun Belt Conference series.