Trojans Drop Sun Belt Opener To FAU

Friday, March 12

Troy, Ala.

6:00 pm

Troy University

Florida Atlantic

3/13/2010 3:00:00 AM | Baseball

If Friday night's Sun Belt Conference opener between Troy and Florida Atlantic is any indication, the league's reputation for producing offense is in tact.

The Trojans and Owls combined to score 15 runs in the first three innings, but it was FAU getting out to the big early lead and then holding on for a 13-8 victory over Troy.

The Owls improve to 7-4 overall on the season and are 1-0 in league play while the Trojans fall to 5-6 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Neither starting pitcher fared well in the game, with Troy starter Drew Hull (0-2), who filled in for sophomore Tyler Ray who is ill, giving up nine earned runs in just two innings of work.

The Trojans answered with a five run second inning to chase FAU starter Taylor Everist. The Owls turned to sophomore Ryan Garton (2-0) and the right-hander slammed the door on the Trojans into the ninth inning.

Garton worked a total of seven innings, throwing 122 pitches to get the win. He scattered four hits, allowing three runs while allowing three walks and recording a career-high 11 strikeouts.

“I appreciate our kids effort for continuing to battle (after getting down early), but the middle part of the game I wasn't excited about,” Trojans coach Bobby Pierce said. “We struck out way too much, which is something we worked on all week.”

After Hull gave up four runs in the first on five hits, he gave up four more in the second inning on one big blow, Dan Scheffler's grand slam.

The Trojans scored five in the bottom of the inning – a two-run homer from Miles Hoyle and a three-run shot from Adam Bryant – but then managed only single runs in the third, eighth and ninth innings. The Trojans left a total of 11 runners on base in the game.

“I wasn't shocked by the five-run inning or the way we did it,” Pierce said. “But I didn't like our middle innings. Getting down eight runs early makes for a long road back.”

After Hull left the mound for Troy, freshman Thomas Austin gave the Trojans four quality innings of work. The right-hander allowed just two runs, and those came in the fifth inning on a homer by Anthony Mesa after Austin was called for a balk on the previous pitch when it appeared Mesa had flown out to center.

“He had a little sinker going, and that is a great pitch in college baseball,” Pierce said. “Thomas has really worked hard and has changed his arm angle recently to get a little sink. I am not only proud of what he did, but how he did it. He had a lot of poise and just went in there and went to work.”

Every player in the FAU lineup had at least on hit in the game as the Owls touched Troy pitching for 16 hits in the game. Mesa and Raymond Church had three hits each to lead FAU.

The Trojans had 12 hits in the game, but nine came from Chase Whitley, Blake Martz and Jake Sullivan, who had three each.

The Trojans will look to even the weekend series on Sunday when senior right-hander Andrew Dickinson (2-1, 5.00) takes the mound against FAU junior right-hander Mike Gipson (3-0, 1.80). The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start at Riddle-Pace Field.