Troy University Athletics
Trojans To Host Owls In Regular Season Home Finale
5/12/2009 4:45:00 PM | Baseball
The Trojans will play their final regular season home game of the 2009 season tonight against the Owls of Kennesaw State. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Troy fans are encouraged to wear flower shirts for a Tropical Tuesday promotion.
The Trojans have dominated the all-time series with KDU, winning 19 of 20 previous meetings, including a 15-5 victory early this season.
Senior left-hander Steven Morelock (0-1, 12.86) will make his second start, but the Trojans are expecting to use a number of different pitchers in the game.
The Owls are 28-20 this season with a 10-12 non-conference record. KSU is coming off a tough weekend, dropping the first two contests of a three-game set against Florida Gulf Coast before taking the finale, 6-5. Justin Edwards pitched a complete game to earn the victory for the Owls in Saturday's finale.
KSU is led offensively by senior outfielder Ric Bishop (.358, 6, 48) and junior catcher Jace Whitmer (.319, 13, 45). Bishop comes in riding a season-high 11-game hit streak.
The Owls will send freshman right-hander Sean Fream (1-0, 10.57) to the mound to start the evening, but KSU is expected to use several pitchers.
During Troy's weekend sweep of ULM, the Trojans set the tone early in games, scoring eight first inning runs ... For the year Troy has scored 41 runs in the first inning and are 13-3 in games when they score in the first. Troy's biggest offensive inning this year has been the second (49 runs) but the Trojans have scored at least 40 runs in every inning but the fifth and ninth.
Senior Trevor Tyre earned Sun Belt Player of the Week honors for his efforts against ULM, but he was not the only Trojan swinging a hot bat. Seniors Miles Hoyle (6-for-10) and Michael Precise (5-for-11) also had good series. Precise drove in eight runs in the series, including six in Friday's game, tying his career-high. He hit the first grand slam of the year for Troy in that game.
Senior Brett Henry is probably a little sore after the ULM series, because he was hit by ULM pitchers four times and, as a team, the Trojans were hit eight times in the series.
Following the game tonight, the Trojans will hit the road for the final Sun Belt Conference series of the season this weekend at South Alabama. The weekend series will start on Thursday night at Eddie Stanky Field in Mobile at 6 p.m. Friday's game is also set for a 6 p.m. start with Saturday's regular season finale scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
