Trojans Slide Past Jags 6-2

Friday, May 21

Mobile, Ala.

6:00 pm

Troy University

South Alabama

5/22/2010 2:00:00 AM | Baseball

MOBILE, Ala. – Troy sophomore Daniel Peterson has had his share of tough breaks in his time with the Trojans baseball program.

He made a game-saving break on a screaming line drive by South Alabama's Jake Overstreet in the sixth inning, hauling in the smash just shy of the wall in center at Eddie Stanky Field to preserve the Trojans' 3-2 lead.

The Trojans went on from there to plate three insurance runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-2 victory over the Jags to win the series and move Troy into a tie with South Alabama for fifth place in the Sun Belt Conference heading into the final game of the 2010 regular season on Saturday.

Troy improved to 32-22 overall by winning for the 14th time in the Trojans' last 17 games. South Alabama, which has scored just three runs in its last 36 innings of play, falls to 30-25 overall. Both teams stand at 16-13 in league play going into the series finale.

“The play by Peterson was the difference in the game,” Trojans coach Bobby Pierce said. “For a team that has been struggling to score, they finally got one off the bat, but Daniel was able to run it down. If that ball gets down, they score two and take the lead and it is a different game. Making that catch was able to keep the momentum on our side.”

The catch was also able to preserve the victory for sophomore Tyler Ray (8-3), who got the win despite pitching just four innings in a predetermined short start. Junior Drew Hull, who is normally a Sunday starter, pitched behind Ray and Chase Whiltey recorded the final five outs for his seventh save of the year.

Ray allowed two runs on five hits in four innings while Hull surrendered five hits, but was able to work his way out of trouble twice, stranding two Jaguars in both the fifth and sixth innings. Whitley came on in the eighth with two on and just one out, but got a double-play grounder to get out of the jam.

The Trojans jumped on top of South Alabama in the first inning when Steven Felix blasted his 15th homer of the season, but the Jags tied the game in the third when Brent Tanner delivered a two-out single to score Taylor White, who had been hit by a pitch.

Troy regained the lead by scoring two more runs off Jaguars starter Lance Baxter (6-3) in the fourth inning. J.R. Myers plated one with a sacrifice fly before Peterson delivered a two-out single to score another.

Baxter worked into the eighth inning, surrendering five runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out four.

The Trojans chased the South Alabama senior left-hander in the eighth when he walked Todd McRae to start the inning and then surrendered an infield single to Miles Hoyle, moving McRae to third. Kyle Dees came on in relief and got T.J. Rivera to chop one to third, but Overstreet's throw to the plate got past Tanner, allowing McRae to score.

Myers followed with a two-run single to push Troy's lead to 6-2.

“I knew that it would be a different kind of game tonight,” Pierce said. “We got solid pitching from Tyler, Drew and Chase and I am proud of the way were able to score late to get the win.”

Myers was the only Troy hitter with as many as two hits in the game as USA out-hit the Trojans 10-8. Tanner, Clint Reynolds and Brad Hook had two hits apiece for the Jaguars. Junior Adam Bryant, who celebrated his 21st birthday, had a single in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to a team season-high 13 games.

The Trojans will go for the sweep on Saturday and will use a variety of pitchers in the effort. Freshman Cass Abercrombie (2-0, 7.88) will make his first conference start and will face South Alabama junior Garrett Harris (5-4, 4.46). The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.

“We are going to try to get everyone in the game tomorrow and try to get ready for the tournament,” Pierce said. “You never know how that is going to go. Hopefully we'll come out and score some runs and carry this momentum into the tournament next week.”