Hoyle Hits For Cycle in 19-3 Trojans Win

Saturday, February 28

Troy

1:00 PM

Troy University

Memphis

2/28/2009 6:00:00 AM | Baseball

Troy junior Miles Hoyle was a little down following the Trojans' home opening loss to Memphis Friday night, but the Odenville native bounced back quickly on Saturday, hitting for the cycle to lead Troy's 25-hit attack in a 19-3 victory over the Tigers.

The two clubs will play the rubber game of the weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Hoyle, who was caught off third base to end Friday night's 7-5 loss, hit a three-run homer in the second inning Saturday, followed with a two-run double in the third, led off the fifth with a triple and then singled in the seventh inning.

Two of the longest tenured Troy baseball observers ? former broadcaster Ralph Black and former head coach Chase Riddle ? both said that they could not remember a player from Troy having ever hit for the cycle before.

The performance was part of an all-around offensive explosion for Troy, which saw every starting position player post at least one hit, and score at least one run. In fact, of the 14 Trojans to have at bats in the game, 13 had hits.

“I had hoped that we would be able to carry over some offensive momentum from the ninth inning last night, and that is exactly what happened,” Trojans head coach Bobby Pierce said. “It is good to see this kind of offensive production. I am very happy with the way the team responded to the loss last night.”

The cycle for Hoyle was the first for a Trojan in Pierce's six plus seasons in Troy. In fact, it was the first for one of his players in more than 20 seasons as a coach.

“I am terribly happy for him because it is such a rare thing to do and for him to come back after the way the game ended on Friday is great,” Pierce said. “Miles is the kind of hitter who is capable of having this kind of game virtually every day he comes to the park.

A transfer from Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City, Hoyle said hitting for the cycle is something that he has never done at any level of baseball.

“Sometimes you go out and are hot, and that is what happened today,” Hoyle said. “It was a lot of fun out there today, especially after a tough loss last night. The entire team was swinging the bats well. This team is so different from any that I have ever played on in that everyone up and down the lineup can hit.”

Lost in the offensive fireworks was the performance turned in on the mound by junior Jason Walls (1-1). After he struggled on opening day against Kentucky, Walls came back with a strong performance, holding Memphis to one run on just three hits over six innings of work. He walked three and struck out three in the game.

“I really like the way Jason responded today,” Pierce said. “He was very determined to pitch well and it couldn't have come at a better time.”

Senior Jeff Green followed Walls with two shutout innings. Junior Jason Howell pitched the ninth and surrendered a two-run homer to Heath Hatfield.

Besides Hoyle, who had four hits, drove in five runs and scored three from the second spot in the batting order, the Trojans also got four hits and three runs scored from leadoff hitter Steven Rosado, who had his first homer of the year.

Junior Ryan Ditthardt continued to swing a hot bat, posting three hits, including a two-run homer, and scoring three times. Michael Precise, J.R. Myers, Brett Henry and Bart Pettus all had two hits and all drove in two runs.

Junior right-hander Ryan Fraser (0-2) was the first of five Memphis pitchers in the game and took the loss. He surrendered seven earned runs on eight hits in two innings of work.

The Trojans will try to win the series when they send senior left-hander Travis Burge to the mound on Sunday to face Memphis left-hander Brach Davis. Conditions on Sunday will be vastly different from the first two games, with temperatures expected to be in the 30s with wind-chill from 20-30 miles per hour gusts to be in the 20s.

“Travis is an experienced guy and the type of guy you want to have out there with a series on the line,” Pierce said. “With the weather expected to be bad, with high winds and awfully cold temperatures, it is going to be tough. I expect our guys to come out and play hard to win the series.”