Troy University Athletics
Friday, February 19
Troy, Ala.
6 P.M.
Troy University
1-0
10
vs
3
Northern Kentucky
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Northern Kentucky
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
6
2
Troy
0
1
1
3
1
2
0
2
X
10
10
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bennett, Grant (1-0)
L: WATTS,Justin (0-1)
Batting:
2B: HAUETER,Will 1
RBI: COLLETTA,Kyle 1 ; BOLEN,Adam 1 ; MERCURIO,Dominic 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GANNS,Trey 1 ; HAUETER,Will 1 ; COLLETTA,Kyle 1
SB: HEADY,Quint 1
Batting:
2B: Denison, Joey 1 ; Long, Reid 1
HR: Lockridge, Brandon 1
RBI: Lockridge, Brandon 3 ; Sanders, Matt 3 ; Denison, Joey 1 ; Long, Reid 2
SH: Whitaker, Steven 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lockridge, Brandon 2 ; Sanders, Matt 1 ; Davis, Trevor 2 ; Denison, Joey 1 ; Hulsey, Austin 1 ; Givens, Bert 1 ; Whitaker, Steven 2
SB: Hulsey, Austin 1 ; Whitaker, Steven 2
HBP: Lockridge, Brandon 1 ; Denison, Joey 1
PO: Lockridge, Brandon 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballIF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
C/IF
/ BaseballSmartt Era Begins with Season Opening Win Over Northern Kentucky
2/19/2016 10:05:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Alabama – The Mark Smartt era for Troy baseball began in winning ways as the Trojans defeated Northern Kentucky, 10-3, in the season opener at Riddle-Pace Field on Friday night.
"I'm so proud that our team played well," Smartt said. "To get the first win on the first night is really important for our players. For me, it's good to get the first one out of the way. I'm really proud of how are team played, we played well in every phase of the game."
A couple of newcomers stole the show for Troy (1-0) in true freshman Brandon Lockridge and junior college transfer Joey Denison. Lockridge went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while Denison chipped in a 2-for-3 performance with a double and one RBI.
Troy plated one run in the second and third inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Denison scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch and later drove in the second run of the game in the third inning.
Lockridge, in his third at bat of the game, blasted a ball to left field for a three-run home run that extended the Trojan lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning.
Two sophomores helped out the Trojans offensively in the fifth and sixth innings. Reid Long hit an RBI double down the right field line in the fifth and Matt Sanders plated two with a single to center field and gave Troy an 8-0 lead.
After Northern Kentucky (0-1) scored three runs on a string of hits in the third inning, Troy answered in the eighth with its final two runs of the game.
Grant Bennett (1-0) had a stellar season opener as he pitched six innings, only allowed two hits and fanned seven to earn the win. Robert Harris came on in relief and pitched two innings. Harris only allowed one hit and struck out four, while Trey Johns closed out the ninth inning and didn't allow a hit.
Justin Watts (0-1) suffered the loss for the Norse. He pitched four innings and gave up five runs, four earned on three hits.
Chase Smartt and Austin Hulsey earned their first hits as Trojans, while Smartt's hit was his first at the collegiate level.
The Trojans have now won 12 of their last 14 season openers and extended their home opening win streak to eight games.
The two teams return to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader. The first game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
For more information on Troy baseball, as well as all of Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find the Trojans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat by searching for Troy Athletics.
"I'm so proud that our team played well," Smartt said. "To get the first win on the first night is really important for our players. For me, it's good to get the first one out of the way. I'm really proud of how are team played, we played well in every phase of the game."
A couple of newcomers stole the show for Troy (1-0) in true freshman Brandon Lockridge and junior college transfer Joey Denison. Lockridge went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while Denison chipped in a 2-for-3 performance with a double and one RBI.
Troy plated one run in the second and third inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Denison scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch and later drove in the second run of the game in the third inning.
Lockridge, in his third at bat of the game, blasted a ball to left field for a three-run home run that extended the Trojan lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning.
Two sophomores helped out the Trojans offensively in the fifth and sixth innings. Reid Long hit an RBI double down the right field line in the fifth and Matt Sanders plated two with a single to center field and gave Troy an 8-0 lead.
After Northern Kentucky (0-1) scored three runs on a string of hits in the third inning, Troy answered in the eighth with its final two runs of the game.
Grant Bennett (1-0) had a stellar season opener as he pitched six innings, only allowed two hits and fanned seven to earn the win. Robert Harris came on in relief and pitched two innings. Harris only allowed one hit and struck out four, while Trey Johns closed out the ninth inning and didn't allow a hit.
Justin Watts (0-1) suffered the loss for the Norse. He pitched four innings and gave up five runs, four earned on three hits.
Chase Smartt and Austin Hulsey earned their first hits as Trojans, while Smartt's hit was his first at the collegiate level.
The Trojans have now won 12 of their last 14 season openers and extended their home opening win streak to eight games.
The two teams return to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader. The first game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
For more information on Troy baseball, as well as all of Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find the Trojans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat by searching for Troy Athletics.
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