Trojans to Host Redhawks For Weekend Series

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The Troy Trojans return home to Riddle-Pace Field this weekend for a scheduled three-game series against Southeast Missouri State.

The Trojans and Redhawks are slated to play Friday night at 6 p.m., Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Saturday game has already been moved up from its originally scheduled start time of 6 p.m. because of expected heavy rain.

If Mother Nature allows the teams to play, the series will feature two teams that are both off to solid starts to the 2011 season. SEMO (7-2) opened the year by winning twice at UL Lafayette, and the Redhawks come in riding a three-game win streak during which they are averaging just shy of 13 runs per game.

Troy (6-2) is coming off a 6-1 loss at Samford on Tuesday night in a game where the Trojans were never able to get anything going offensively.

Both teams are expected to roll out solid starting pitching, with Friday's matchup between Troy's Tyler Ray (2-0, 2.70) and SEMO's Jordan Underwood (1-0, 2.08) serving as the marqee matchup of the series.

Underwood is a senior left-hander from Edmond, Okla., and has had to battle back from a serious injury he suffered while playing at Seminole State Junior College. He was hit in the face by a line drive and wound up losing his left eye, but that has not derailed his career. After missing fall practice last year, he finished the 2010 season with a 6-5 record and a 4.11 ERA.

Saturday's game, which is now scheduled for 1 p.m., will pit Troy sophomore left-hander Ryan Sorce (0-1, 4.09) against the Redhawks senior right-hander Jon Dicus (1-0, 1.80).

The series finale on Sunday will have a matchup of senior right-handers, with Troy's Drew Hull (2-0, 2.25) facing SEMO's Nick Thomas (1-0, 3.86).

In addition to the matchup on the field, there will be a pair of reunions during the weekend series, both involving Trojans assistant coach Mark Smartt.

First off, the 1986 Division II national championship Troy team, which Smart was a part of, will gather for a 25-year reunion. Secondly, Smartt will face one of his coaching mentors, Southeast Missouri head coach Mark Hogan. Smartt was an assistant coach under Hogan for five years at West Alabama from 1990-94.

All three games during the weekend series will be broadcast on the Troy Sports Network and will also be video web streamed on TroyTrojans.com. Barry McKnight and Jerry Miller will handle the call of Friday's game. Ricky Hazel will handle broadcast duties on Saturday and Sunday, depending on how the Troy men's basketball team does in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark.

Fans can also keep up with Troy baseball on Twitter by following Hazel (@troysid), McKnight (@barrymcknight), Smartt (Mark Smartt">@CoachMarkSmartt) and Ray (@troytrojan12).

Troy University Athletics

Trojans to Host Redhawks For Weekend Series

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