Troy University Athletics
Roles Reversed As Trojans Host Blue Raiders
5/1/2009 4:30:00 PM | Baseball
In 2006, when the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee visited Riddle-Pace Field at the end of the season, the Trojans needed a sweep to capture the Sun Belt Conference title.
That weekend series featured some of the most dramatic finishes in recent Troy history, and the Trojans completed the sweep before going on to sweep through the Sun Belt Tournament and into NCAA Regional play.
The Blue Raiders return to Riddle-Pace Field this weekend, but the situation is completely reversed. Middle Tennessee enters the weekend in a virtual tie with Western Kentucky for the Sun Belt lead with three weeks left in the regular season.
With WKU hosting last place UALR this weekend, it is the Blue Raiders who know they need a sweep to keep pace. For the Trojans, who are 3.5 games behind the co-leaders, taking the series from MTSU, or even sweeping it, would keep Troy's hopes of a Sun Belt title alive.
The Blue Raiders (32-12, 18-6) come into the series with the SBC's most potent offense, sporting a league-best .339 team batting average and having hit 75 home runs this year, also tops in the conference.
MTSU is led both offensively and on the mound by sophomore Bryce Brentz. The Knoxville, Tenn., native leads the Sun Belt with a .478 batting average and with 21 home runs. He is fourth in the league, and second on the Blue Raiders, with 57 RBI. Senior outfielder Nathan Hines leads the Blue Raiders with 58 RBI.
On the mound, Brentz, a right-hander who will start Friday's series opener, had a 4-2 record on the year with a 4.07 ERA in 10 starts. He leads the team with 66.1 innings pitched and has a team-high 46 strikeouts.
The Trojans (25-18, 12-7) come into the weekend series looking for some answers, both offensively and on the mound. Troy has lost five of its last six games overall and has hit just .256 as a team over that stretch. The Trojans have fallen into a power shortage, having been held without a homer in nine of the last 11 games.
On the mound, things are a little more settled for the weekend. The Trojans have come to rely on their three weekend starters to work a lot of innings and get the ball into the hands of closer Chris Sorce late in games.
True freshman right-hander Tyler Ray (5-3, 4.20) will get the call in Friday's opening game. He is coming off a good outing against UL Lafayette last week where he was saddled with a loss despite allowing just two earned runs over 7.1 innings.
Saturday's game will pit Troy junior right-hander Jason Walls (3-3, 4.03) against MTSU junior left-hander Kenneth Roberts (5-1, 3.77). Walls allowed six earned runs in six innings in his last start, against ULL.
Sunday's game will feature Troy senior left-hander Travis Burge (4-1, 4.88) against MTSU junior right-hander Chad Edwards (7-1, 5.64). Edwards leads the Sun Belt in wins despite having allowed opponents to hit .326 against him this year.
All three games of the series will be broadcast live on WTBF-FM 94.7 with Barry McKnight and Jerry Miller calling the action. Audio and video of the games will also be available on Troy's Official Athletics Web Site, www.TroyTrojans.com.
The games this weekend are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
That weekend series featured some of the most dramatic finishes in recent Troy history, and the Trojans completed the sweep before going on to sweep through the Sun Belt Tournament and into NCAA Regional play.
The Blue Raiders return to Riddle-Pace Field this weekend, but the situation is completely reversed. Middle Tennessee enters the weekend in a virtual tie with Western Kentucky for the Sun Belt lead with three weeks left in the regular season.
With WKU hosting last place UALR this weekend, it is the Blue Raiders who know they need a sweep to keep pace. For the Trojans, who are 3.5 games behind the co-leaders, taking the series from MTSU, or even sweeping it, would keep Troy's hopes of a Sun Belt title alive.
The Blue Raiders (32-12, 18-6) come into the series with the SBC's most potent offense, sporting a league-best .339 team batting average and having hit 75 home runs this year, also tops in the conference.
MTSU is led both offensively and on the mound by sophomore Bryce Brentz. The Knoxville, Tenn., native leads the Sun Belt with a .478 batting average and with 21 home runs. He is fourth in the league, and second on the Blue Raiders, with 57 RBI. Senior outfielder Nathan Hines leads the Blue Raiders with 58 RBI.
On the mound, Brentz, a right-hander who will start Friday's series opener, had a 4-2 record on the year with a 4.07 ERA in 10 starts. He leads the team with 66.1 innings pitched and has a team-high 46 strikeouts.
The Trojans (25-18, 12-7) come into the weekend series looking for some answers, both offensively and on the mound. Troy has lost five of its last six games overall and has hit just .256 as a team over that stretch. The Trojans have fallen into a power shortage, having been held without a homer in nine of the last 11 games.
On the mound, things are a little more settled for the weekend. The Trojans have come to rely on their three weekend starters to work a lot of innings and get the ball into the hands of closer Chris Sorce late in games.
True freshman right-hander Tyler Ray (5-3, 4.20) will get the call in Friday's opening game. He is coming off a good outing against UL Lafayette last week where he was saddled with a loss despite allowing just two earned runs over 7.1 innings.
Saturday's game will pit Troy junior right-hander Jason Walls (3-3, 4.03) against MTSU junior left-hander Kenneth Roberts (5-1, 3.77). Walls allowed six earned runs in six innings in his last start, against ULL.
Sunday's game will feature Troy senior left-hander Travis Burge (4-1, 4.88) against MTSU junior right-hander Chad Edwards (7-1, 5.64). Edwards leads the Sun Belt in wins despite having allowed opponents to hit .326 against him this year.
All three games of the series will be broadcast live on WTBF-FM 94.7 with Barry McKnight and Jerry Miller calling the action. Audio and video of the games will also be available on Troy's Official Athletics Web Site, www.TroyTrojans.com.
The games this weekend are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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