Troy University Athletics
Saturday, March 18
Little Rock, Ark.
2 PM
Troy University
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Little Rock
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Troy
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Little Rock
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Photo by: John Rushing
Troy Clinches Conference-Opening Series
3/18/2017 6:50:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Troy took the first Sun Belt Conference series of the season with a 6-3 win over Little Rock Saturday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
Troy (11-6, 2-0) used a huge eighth inning to take a late lead after trailing the entire game – scoring four runs on three hits. The biggest blow came on a two RBI single from Chase Smartt, who finished two-for-four and was the only batter to have multiple hits for Troy.
Mason Rogers hit his first home run as a Trojan in the sixth inning, while Drew Frederic and Trevor Davis both hit safely to extend their hitting streaks – Davis at 10 and Frederic at nine games in a row.
Austin Crook (3-0) fell behind early after giving up three runs in the first three innings. However, Crook settled down and did not allow another run in the next four to manufacture a win for Troy – with three runs on seven hits and striking out three in seven innings of work.
Marc Skinner earned the save for the second game for his fifth save of the season – which takes his career save total to 13.
Little Rock (7-12, 0-2) falls despite taking an early 3-0 lead before allowing six unanswered runs. The Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Dalton Thomas, homered for the second day in a row and finished two-for-four.
Ryan LeMoine (0-2) entered in relief in the fourth and suffered loss after conceding three runs on two hits in 2.2 innings of work.
QUOTABLE
"(Austin) Crook settled in and really gave our offense a chance," Troy head coach Mark Smartt said. "Mason Rogers hit a big homer and Marc Skinner was great. I'm really proud of the series win, it speaks a lot to the character of our team. You don't get many chances to sweep in this league, especially on the road, and we get the chance to tomorrow."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Eighth-Inning Magic: After cutting the lead to one in the seventh with the Rogers home run, Troy hit the throttle and never turned back – putting up four runs in the eighth inning to take the 6-3 lead.
The Trojans loaded the bases with no outs for Senior Trevor Davis, who stepped up and delivered an RBI single to tie the game and extend his hitting streak to 10. Chase Smartt followed suit with a single of his own to drive in two more and give Troy its first lead of the game. Joey Denison sacrificed the runners over and Mack Hathcock followed with a sacrifice fly to center to push the lead to three.
SOUND "SMARTT" WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• Troy took its opening conference series for the first time since 2011 and started 2-0 in the conference for the first time since 2006. The 2006 and 2011 teams posted the most wins in Troy baseball history – with 47 in 2006 and 43 in 2011.
• With a save Saturday, Skinner moves into sole possession of third place all-time for career saves at Troy. He also ranks third with most career appearances by a Troy pitcher with 92 – 10 shy of Nate Hill.
• Davis's hitting streak is the second double-digit streak of the kind for Troy this season.
WHAT'S UP NEXT?
Troy will go for the sweep Sunday behind the arm of Houston Mabray (1-0, 2.70). First pitch for the series finale is set for 1 p.m.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Troy took the first Sun Belt Conference series of the season with a 6-3 win over Little Rock Saturday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
Troy (11-6, 2-0) used a huge eighth inning to take a late lead after trailing the entire game – scoring four runs on three hits. The biggest blow came on a two RBI single from Chase Smartt, who finished two-for-four and was the only batter to have multiple hits for Troy.
Mason Rogers hit his first home run as a Trojan in the sixth inning, while Drew Frederic and Trevor Davis both hit safely to extend their hitting streaks – Davis at 10 and Frederic at nine games in a row.
Austin Crook (3-0) fell behind early after giving up three runs in the first three innings. However, Crook settled down and did not allow another run in the next four to manufacture a win for Troy – with three runs on seven hits and striking out three in seven innings of work.
Marc Skinner earned the save for the second game for his fifth save of the season – which takes his career save total to 13.
Little Rock (7-12, 0-2) falls despite taking an early 3-0 lead before allowing six unanswered runs. The Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Dalton Thomas, homered for the second day in a row and finished two-for-four.
Ryan LeMoine (0-2) entered in relief in the fourth and suffered loss after conceding three runs on two hits in 2.2 innings of work.
QUOTABLE
"(Austin) Crook settled in and really gave our offense a chance," Troy head coach Mark Smartt said. "Mason Rogers hit a big homer and Marc Skinner was great. I'm really proud of the series win, it speaks a lot to the character of our team. You don't get many chances to sweep in this league, especially on the road, and we get the chance to tomorrow."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Eighth-Inning Magic: After cutting the lead to one in the seventh with the Rogers home run, Troy hit the throttle and never turned back – putting up four runs in the eighth inning to take the 6-3 lead.
The Trojans loaded the bases with no outs for Senior Trevor Davis, who stepped up and delivered an RBI single to tie the game and extend his hitting streak to 10. Chase Smartt followed suit with a single of his own to drive in two more and give Troy its first lead of the game. Joey Denison sacrificed the runners over and Mack Hathcock followed with a sacrifice fly to center to push the lead to three.
SOUND "SMARTT" WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• Troy took its opening conference series for the first time since 2011 and started 2-0 in the conference for the first time since 2006. The 2006 and 2011 teams posted the most wins in Troy baseball history – with 47 in 2006 and 43 in 2011.
• With a save Saturday, Skinner moves into sole possession of third place all-time for career saves at Troy. He also ranks third with most career appearances by a Troy pitcher with 92 – 10 shy of Nate Hill.
• Davis's hitting streak is the second double-digit streak of the kind for Troy this season.
WHAT'S UP NEXT?
Troy will go for the sweep Sunday behind the arm of Houston Mabray (1-0, 2.70). First pitch for the series finale is set for 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Crook, Austin (3-0)
L: LeMoine,R (0-2)
S: Skinner, Marc (5)
Batting:
2B: Lockridge, Brandon 1
HR: Rogers, Mason 1
RBI: Davis, Trevor 1 ; Smartt, Chase 2 ; Denison, Joey 1 ; Hathcock, Mack 1 ; Rogers, Mason 1
SH: Denison, Joey 1 ; Whitaker, Steven 1
SF: Denison, Joey 1 ; Hathcock, Mack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Frederic, Drew 1 ; Sanders, Matt 1 ; Lockridge, Brandon 2 ; Davis, Trevor 1 ; Rogers, Mason 1
SB: Lockridge, Brandon 1 ; Davis, Trevor 1
Batting:
2B: Pittman,R 2 ; Thomas,D 1
HR: Thomas,D 1
RBI: Thomas,D 1 ; Owens,H 1 ; Reyes,C 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pittman,R 1 ; Thomas,D 1 ; Gifford,N 1
SB: Gifford,N 1
CS: Reyes,C 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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