Homers Lift Troy Past South Alabama

Friday, May 16

Troy, Ala.

6:00 PM

Troy University

South Alabama

5/16/2008 5:00:00 AM | Baseball

TROY, Ala.- The Troy Trojans used four home runs to claim a 9-7 win over South Alabama and lock up the number three seed in next weeks conference tournament.

“I'm glad our team came back tonight and responded to last night's loss, “coach Bobby Pierce said. “We challenged then this morning and they responded the way that we wanted them to. We hit the ball well tonight and we answered everything that South Alabama threw at us.”

Troy scored its first run in the series in the bottom of the second inning on Brett Henry's third home run of the season. He hit a line drive over the fence in left for the early 1-0 lead.

Adam Bryant singled up the middle and Steven Felix walked in the second inning setting the table for Bryan Miller. Miller extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a single plating both runners for the 3-0 lead.

South Alabama hung five runs in the top of the fourth inning on a two-RBI double from Bunky Kateon. Jake Overstreet doubled in a run and Ray Kruml hit a three run home run to give the Jags the 5-3 lead.

That lead would be short lived as the Trojans answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Henry walked to lead off the inning and scored a Charley Williams' fourth homer of the season to knot the game at 5-5.

South added a run in the in the fifth on Ryne Jernigan's 16^th home run of the season to take the 6-5 lead.

The Trojans again answered the Jags scoring inning with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Felix got things started with a monster home run over the wall in right field. Miller doubled down the left field line and touched the plate on Beau Brooks' 10^th homer of the year. The home run put the Trojans on top, 8-6.

USA's Chris Davis hit a solo home run in the sixth to close the lead to 8-7.

Felix tripled to left and scored on Miller's second double of the game to put the game out of reach 9-7.

Ryan Ellison (5-3) got the win on the hill in his last game at Riddle-Pace Field. He went five innings and gave up seven runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out five. He reached the 200 strikeout mark and became only the fourth pitcher to do so.

A.J. Howard tossed two solid innings of relief work and only gave up one hit.

Josh Strom (11) also had a record night as he set the new single season saves record with his 11^th. Storm tossed the final two innings and struck out three batters to get the save.

“I am glad to see Josh get the saves record,” Pierce said. “Josh Dew was a great pitcher for us and he set the record last year but a lot of credit goes to Storm for how he has pitched this year. He is the kind of guy who wants the ball in the ninth inning with the game on the line and he has shown us that he can handle it.”

Saturday's game will mark the final home game for six Trojan seniors. A pre-game ceremony will be held to honor these players.

“Tomorrow will be a sad day for me as we will lose these players,” Pierce said. “It is always tough on senior day because these players have given so much to this program and they are very special to me and out staff. This group will be missed very much.”

The rubber match of the series will begin at 1 pm.