Trojans Drop Series Finale To Jags

Saturday, May 22

Mobile, Ala.

2:00 pm

Troy University

South Alabama

5/22/2010 10:00:00 PM | Baseball

MOBILE, Ala. – One big inning cost the Troy Trojans on Saturday afternoon in an 11-10 loss to South Alabama in the regular season finale for both teams at Eddie Stanky Field.

The loss for Troy snapped a five-game win streak and cost the Trojans one spot in the seeding for next weeks' Sun Belt Conference Tournament. With a 32-23 overall record, and a 16-14 mark in league play, the Trojans slip behind South Alabama (31-25, 17-13) in the final league standings and will be the sixth seed in the tournament.

The loss was also potentially more damaging for Troy because senior outfield Chad Watson left the game in the fifth after aggravating his foot injury and junior shortstop Adam Bryant had to come out after stealing home in the seventh to tie the game at 10-10 when he popped his left, non-throwing, shoulder out of place.

“It really wasn't a collision play, it was just a reach for home plate,” Trojans coach Bobby Pierce said of the injury to Bryant. “If I had to do it over, I wouldn't have done it, but I knew we could get the game tied with that play.

“Adam has that left shoulder problem and he has had it throughout this season and most of last. It has been six or seven weeks since he has had any issues, so that really wasn't on my mind. He just reached for home plate and popped it out of place. Normally, after you get it back in, he is awfully sore for a few days, but we will have to play it by ear.”

With Florida Atlantic winning on Saturday, the Owls clinched the regular season Sun Belt title. Louisiana-Lafayette will be the second seed in the tournament followed by host Middle Tennessee (3), FIU (4), South Alabama (5), Troy (6), Arkansas State (7) and Western Kentucky (8). Troy will face the host Blue Raiders in the opening round of play, most likely in the late game on Wednesday.

“MTSU is a fine team and a well-coached team,” Pierce said. “I think you would rather play in front of a crowd against good competition, and it looks like that is what we are going to get in game one, which is a key game.”

The first four-innings on Saturday looked like a heavyweight prize fight between the Trojans and Jaguars. USA got a solo homer from Jake Overstreet in the first, and Troy answered in the second with a homer by Ryan Ditthardt.

The Jags came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second on a single by Brad Hook, but Troy answered with three in the third, two on a double by Chase Whitley and one on a single by Ditthardt.

South Alabama answered that with a seven-run bottom of the third, scoring all seven after Troy starter Cass Abercrombie retired the first two hitters. After giving up a walk and a single, Thomas Austin came on to pitch and surrendered a two-run double to Sean Laird.

Austin then gave up a walk and a two-run double to Clint Reynolds before walking another and then surrendering a three-run homer to Brandon Brown.

“We had a bad inning in the third and any time you give up the seven spot it is going to be a battle,” Pierce said. “But, that is what we did and that is what I like about our team at this point in the season. We don't quit and we don't give in when something like that happens.”

Troy continued to swing the bats, chase USA starter Garrett Harris in the fourth when Whitley hit a three-run homer and Ditthardt followed with his second solo shot of the day. The Trojans cut the deficit to 10-9 in the fifth when J.R. Myers doubled and scored on a single by Bryant.

The Trojans tied the game on the double-steal by Bryant and Steven Felix in the seventh, but missed out on a chance to take the lead when Whitley was struck out by junior Carlton Paris (4-2) to end the inning.

The Jaguars plated what would be the winning run in the seventh when Laird doubled home Overstreet, who opened the inning with an infield single off Troy senior Robby Loew (1-2).

Troy threatened in the ninth when Shoehei Fujita ledoff with a single, but the Trojans were unable to get him home off Paris.

“I am proud of the effort today because it was a tough loss, and a hard-fought loss,” Pierce said. Give South Alabama credit for the win. It sure would have been nice to get the win today, and I thought we were going to get the win, but we have done a lot of great things over the last month, and this weekend too. I think this is the first time we have won a series here and our kids were fighting to get the sweep, it just didn't go our way.”

Ditthardt had three hits and drove in three runs to lead the Trojans offensively while Whitley had two hits and drove in five. Bryant also had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, which is the longest by any Troy player this year. Felix and Myers also had two hits each for Troy.

Laird had three hits and drove in three to lead South Alabama while Brown and Overstreet had two hits each.

Pierce said he likes what he sees from his team, which has won 14 of its last 18 games, heading into the Sun Belt Tournament.

“All we have to do is continue pitching like we have, picking up big hits and getting the ball off the bats the way we have,” Pierce said. “If we do that, I think we will be in good shape.”