Trojans Storm Past Owls In Home Finale

Tuesday, May 12

Troy

6:00 PM

Troy University

Kennesaw State

5/13/2009 1:45:00 AM | Baseball

TROY, Ala. ? The Troy University Trojans closed out their home schedule in solid fashion Tuesday night at Riddle-Pace Field, downing Kennesaw State 4-2.

Senior Josh Storm, the last of eight Troy hurlers in the game, recorded the final three outs to record his sixth save of the season and, more importantly, set a new Troy career saves mark. The save was the 18th of his career, breaking a tie for Josh Dew for the career record.

“I'm very proud of Josh,” Troy coach Bobby Pierce said. “To set not only our season record for saves, which he did last year, but to set the career record for saves is quite a feat. He did it with a lot of guts and determination. I could not think of a better kid.”

Storm, who has struggled this year, especially after suffering an early season injury to his pitching hand, was happy to get the record at home.

“It's been a long year for me and it's just good to get the opportunity to get it done in front of the home crowd,” Storm said. “I feel like I am getting closer to where I was last year and am working hard to get ready for the tournament.”

The save preserved a victory for junior Andrew Dickinson (2-0), who worked a perfect sixth inning. Dickinson followed starter Steven Morelock and relievers Robby Loew and Jordan Mathers. He was followed by J.J. Whetsel, Tim Wheeler, Jeff Green and Storm. Only Morelock, who worked the first three innings, pitched more than one frame.

“We talked about a perfect script before the game and I guess the only thing that wasn't perfect was that Steven didn't get the win,” Pierce said. “What I really liked was each guy we sent out there looked really comfortable and, because of that, they pitched great. I would have liked for us to score some more runs, but we did just enough offensively.”

Morelock, a senior, worked two solid innings to start the game, but gave up home runs on back-to-back pitches to Bucky Smith and Andrew Martin in the third. Those would be the only runs the Owls (28-21) would score in the game.

The Trojans (31-19) started chipping away in the third when Steven Rosado led off with a single off KSU starter Zach Griffith and then scored on a single by Ryan Ditthardt. Rosado scored again in the fifth after being hit by a Wes Tignor pitch, moved up on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a single by Trevor Tyre.

Troy took the lead the following inning when senior Brett Henry led off with a homer over the 30-foot high wall in right off the third Owls pitcher, Brad Long (3-3). Miles Hoyle followed with a single and eventually scored on a single by Adam Bryant.

“We did a lot of good things even though it didn't look like it,” Pierce said. “Miles had the big game and others pitched in. We got the big hits when we needed it.”

Hoyle was the only Troy hitter with multiple hits, posting two singles and a double in the game. Smith had two hits in the game for Kennesaw State.

The Trojans will close out the regular season this weekend in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at South Alabama. The Trojans can finish no worse than fourth in the league race, but could finish as high as second.

The series will start a day early, on Thursday, at Eddie Stanky Field in Mobile. Game times are set for 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday night and 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

The Trojans will then host the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Riddle-Pace Field beginning on Wednesday, May 20. Troy will play at 7:30 p.m. on the first day of the tournament, but the Trojans' opening opponent will not be known until after play this weekend is completed.