Troy Baseball Season Preview - Outfield - Troy University Athletics

TROY, Ala. – The Troy University baseball team opens its 2014 campaign on Friday at 6 p.m. with the first of a four-game series against Northern Kentucky at Riddle-Pace Field. The series continues with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and concludes with a single-game on Sunday at 1 p.m.

TroyTrojans.com will preview the upcoming season over the next four days with a breakdown of each position followed by a preview of the weekend series with the Norse.

Tuesday – Outfield
Wednesday – Infield/Catchers
Thursday – Weekend Preview
Friday - Pitchers

The Breakdown
The Trojans enter the 2014 season will several talented players battling for playing time in the outfield. While the depth isn't what it was a year ago, head coach Bobby Pierce is convinced the 2014 version could be one of the best defensive years for the Trojans' outfield unit.

Senior Ali Knowles will anchor the team in centerfield after appearing in 45 games last season, mostly as a pinch runner or defensive replacement, and batted .230 with seven doubles and 20 RBIs. Knowles' abilities with the glove are highly regarded by Pierce.

Trevin Hall is a junior college transfer from Gulf Coast State where he batted .371 with 15 doubles and 12 home runs and was an all-state selection. Hall has been penciled in as the Trojans starter in left field.

Redshirt Junior David Hall will see time in right field as well as designated hitter. Hall was projected to bat in the middle of Troy's lineup last season but a foot injury restricted him to just seven games.

Junior Clay Holcomb will also see time in centerfield. Holcomb stole nine bases in 10 tries a year ago and played in 35 games.

Jo-El Bennett turned in a stellar fall to instill confidence in the coaching staff that he is ready to become an everyday player for the Trojans.

Utility man Jakob Nixon will also see some action in the outfield.

Pierce Says:
"Ali Knowles has been through quite a lot in his career with some health issues, but he's playing well right now. He's possibly the best defensive center fielder I've coached with his package of abilities – run, catch, throw – the whole works. Like I said, with 32 years in, to say he's possibly the best defensive centerfielder I've coached, that's quite a compliment because I've had a lot of very good ones. Offensively, he's starting to be consistent enough to start playing every day.

"Clay Holcomb's career has been a lot like Ali's as far as trying to reach that level of consistency offensively to be an everyday guy. Clay is probably our most electrifying player. He reminds me a lot of Adam Godwin in that regard. He can bring a lot of pressure to the defense with his base stealing skills. He's a guy that can really make things happen when he gets on base. His strike zone awareness has improved and his ability to put the ball in play has improved.

"Jo-El Bennett has made tremendous strides with his game. I've really enjoyed seeing Jo-El's maturity on and off the field improve. I think Jo-El is just now reaching a place in his game where he can be an everyday Division I player. His potential, his ceiling has always been extremely high.

"If we were ever fortunate enough to have all three (Knowles, Holcomb, Bennett) of those guys on the field at the same time, it would be one the better defensive outfields in the country.

"We think Trevin Hall is a guy that needs to be in our lineup. We'll manipulate the defensive positions to try to make that happen. The same can be said about a guy who has been our most productive hitter in the fall, David Hall. David is a guy, who last year started out in the middle of our lineup, struggled a little bit before a foot injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. We think David will be our everyday four-hole hitter."

Troy University Athletics

Troy Baseball Season Preview - Outfield

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