Troy University Athletics
Tuesday, March 10
Jacksonville, Fla.
6:00 PM
Troy University
8
at
7
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North Florida
Trojans Hold Off Ospreys 8-7
3/11/2009 5:00:00โฏAM | Baseball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ? For eight innings Tuesday night, the Troy Trojans got outstanding pitching against North Florida.
But, for one inning the Troy bullpen struggled, and it almost cost the Trojans a victory. After giving up four runs in the bottom of the ninth, and with the potential tying and winning runs on base, Troy closer Josh Storm finally closed out UNF, securing an 8-7 victory.
“North Florida is not a team that is ever going to give up, as was evident in the ninth inning tonight,” Trojans coach Bobby Pierce said. “You have to give them credit for continuing to battle until the final out.”
It looked as if Troy would cruise to an easy win after a trio of Troy pitchers held North Florida to just one hit through the first 7.1 innings. Junior starter Tim Wheeler (1-0), who was making his first start since off-season shoulder surgery, was dominant over the first four innings.
Despite being on a strict pitch count, Wheeler allowed just one hit, to the second batter of the game, and walked one while striking out six.
“I thought Tim pitched great,” Pierce said. “For it to be his first time out as a starter, he was outstanding. He had his sinker and his slider working.”
UNF starter Michael Kelly (0-1) was the first of five pitchers in the game for the Ospreys. He allowed just two earned runs on four hits in four innings of work, but walked two and hit three batters.
Wheeler was followed by junior left-hander Fred Lewis, who did not fare as well. Despite owning a 3-0 lead when he came into the game, Lewis walked the first two men he faced, crossed up catcher Blake Martz with a pitch for a passed ball and delivered a wild pitch. After getting UNF's Brian Wilson to fly out to right, driving in the second run for UNF, sophomore Drew Hull was summoned from the pen to preserve the lead.
Hull was up to the challenge, retiring the first nine men he faced before giving up a one-out single in the eighth inning. But, by that time Troy had pushed its lead to 8-2 and appeared to be in control.
“Drew pitched great, especially after Freddy struggled,” Pierce said. “We were hoping to stretch Drew out a little because he tends to run into trouble after about 40 pitches, and that is exactly what happened to him tonight.”
The Trojans got on the board in the second when Brett Henry, who had walked, scored on a double-play grounder from Martz. Chad Watson followed with a triple to plate Daryl Otwell and give Troy a 2-0 lead.
The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth when J.R. Myers, who singled to start the inning, scored on a Henry sacrifice fly.
After the lead was cut to 3-2, Troy plated three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. Michael Precise delivered a two-run homer and Otwell plated Ryan Ditthardt, who had reached on one of three UNF errors, with a ground out.
Myers added to the lead with an RBI triple in the eighth and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Precise.
Hull gave up a run in the eighth by allowing three consecutive singles, but Jordan Mathers came on to get the final two outs of the inning to end the threat.
Storm came on to start the ninth, and surrendered three consecutive hits, two singles and an RBI double, before getting Wilson to strike out. Michael Smith, who had three hits in the game for UNF, followed with a three-run homer, cutting the Troy lead to 8-7.
Storm stayed in and recorded his second strikeout before giving up another single and a walk, putting the winning run on base. He got out of the jam, and preserved the win, by getting Kevin Martin to pop out to second.
“I was happy that we were able to get a lot of hits (13) in the game tonight, but we left too many runners on base (12),” Pierce said. “I think we were lulled to sleep by the big lead and we can let that happen. We have to make these guys understand that they have to keep playing.”
Myers and Precise had three hits each to lead Troy while Watson had two. Smith and three hits and four RBI for UNF.
The two teams will conclude their mid-week series tomorrow night, with the first pitch slated for 6 p.m.
But, for one inning the Troy bullpen struggled, and it almost cost the Trojans a victory. After giving up four runs in the bottom of the ninth, and with the potential tying and winning runs on base, Troy closer Josh Storm finally closed out UNF, securing an 8-7 victory.
“North Florida is not a team that is ever going to give up, as was evident in the ninth inning tonight,” Trojans coach Bobby Pierce said. “You have to give them credit for continuing to battle until the final out.”
It looked as if Troy would cruise to an easy win after a trio of Troy pitchers held North Florida to just one hit through the first 7.1 innings. Junior starter Tim Wheeler (1-0), who was making his first start since off-season shoulder surgery, was dominant over the first four innings.
Despite being on a strict pitch count, Wheeler allowed just one hit, to the second batter of the game, and walked one while striking out six.
“I thought Tim pitched great,” Pierce said. “For it to be his first time out as a starter, he was outstanding. He had his sinker and his slider working.”
UNF starter Michael Kelly (0-1) was the first of five pitchers in the game for the Ospreys. He allowed just two earned runs on four hits in four innings of work, but walked two and hit three batters.
Wheeler was followed by junior left-hander Fred Lewis, who did not fare as well. Despite owning a 3-0 lead when he came into the game, Lewis walked the first two men he faced, crossed up catcher Blake Martz with a pitch for a passed ball and delivered a wild pitch. After getting UNF's Brian Wilson to fly out to right, driving in the second run for UNF, sophomore Drew Hull was summoned from the pen to preserve the lead.
Hull was up to the challenge, retiring the first nine men he faced before giving up a one-out single in the eighth inning. But, by that time Troy had pushed its lead to 8-2 and appeared to be in control.
“Drew pitched great, especially after Freddy struggled,” Pierce said. “We were hoping to stretch Drew out a little because he tends to run into trouble after about 40 pitches, and that is exactly what happened to him tonight.”
The Trojans got on the board in the second when Brett Henry, who had walked, scored on a double-play grounder from Martz. Chad Watson followed with a triple to plate Daryl Otwell and give Troy a 2-0 lead.
The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth when J.R. Myers, who singled to start the inning, scored on a Henry sacrifice fly.
After the lead was cut to 3-2, Troy plated three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. Michael Precise delivered a two-run homer and Otwell plated Ryan Ditthardt, who had reached on one of three UNF errors, with a ground out.
Myers added to the lead with an RBI triple in the eighth and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Precise.
Hull gave up a run in the eighth by allowing three consecutive singles, but Jordan Mathers came on to get the final two outs of the inning to end the threat.
Storm came on to start the ninth, and surrendered three consecutive hits, two singles and an RBI double, before getting Wilson to strike out. Michael Smith, who had three hits in the game for UNF, followed with a three-run homer, cutting the Troy lead to 8-7.
Storm stayed in and recorded his second strikeout before giving up another single and a walk, putting the winning run on base. He got out of the jam, and preserved the win, by getting Kevin Martin to pop out to second.
“I was happy that we were able to get a lot of hits (13) in the game tonight, but we left too many runners on base (12),” Pierce said. “I think we were lulled to sleep by the big lead and we can let that happen. We have to make these guys understand that they have to keep playing.”
Myers and Precise had three hits each to lead Troy while Watson had two. Smith and three hits and four RBI for UNF.
The two teams will conclude their mid-week series tomorrow night, with the first pitch slated for 6 p.m.
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