No. 25 South Alabama Downs Troy in Game Two

Friday, May 19

Mobile, Ala.

6:30 PM

Troy University

31-23, 16-13

South Alabama

35-19, 21-8

Troy

South Alabama

No. 25 South Alabama Downs Troy in Game Two

5/19/2017 9:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

By: Jace Sanders

Box Score

MOBILE, Alabama – No. 25 South Alabama struck for five runs in the fifth inning to defeat Troy, 10-6, and even the Sun Belt series Friday night at Stanky Field.

The Trojans (31-23, 16-13) fought back from an early 3-0 deficit, scoring two in the second and tying the game up in the top of the fifth inning on a Matt Sanders solo shot to left – Sanders finished the game 2-for-4.

South Alabama (35-19, 21-8) jumped out to the three-run lead after Travis Swaggerty blasted a three-run home run with only one out in the first.

After watching their lead vanish, the 25^th-ranked Jags responded with five runs on four hits and an error to take the advantage right back from Troy in the bottom of the fifth. The majority of the rally came with one swing of the bat, as Wells Davis cranked a three-run homer to essentially put the game out of reach – Davis drove in four runs total in the game.

Mason Rogers and Brody Binder both followed up their multi-hit performances in Thursday night's game with more success at the plate for the Trojans – Rogers ended 2-for-4 with a run scored and Binder went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Senior Trevor Davis cut into the lead with a two-run blast in the top of the seventh to give Troy some life late in the game. Davis has homered six times this season and 10 times in his career, both of which lead the team.

After allowing six runs – five earned – on four hits in four innings of work, Daren Osby (5-5) was saddled with the loss for the Trojans. Freshman Ryan Fultz was a bright spot out of the bullpen, pitching three innings of two-hit, shutout work on the mound.

Tyler Carr (6-1) earned the win for South Alabama, giving up six runs – five earned – on nine hits in seven innings of work.

QUOTABLE
"You can't help a good team, and we helped them," Troy head coach Mark Smartt said. "We had just tied the game and they took the momentum right back in the fifth. Poor execution leads to big innings."

SOUND "SMARTT" WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• Steven Whitaker stole his 22^nd base of the season with a swipe of second in the second inning. He entered the weekend ranking 25^th nationally in stolen bases.

• Mason Rogers singled in the second and the third to pick up his eighth multi-hit game in the last 10 games for the Trojans – raising his batting average from .218 to .301 over the last 13 games.

• Matt Sanders went yard on a solo shot for his third homer of the year and first since a leadoff home run against Coastal Carolina.

• Trevor Davis homered for the sixth time this season and 10th time in his career – his 10 career homers lead the team.

WHAT'S UP NEXT?
Troy will look to take the series in its last regular season game Saturday at 12 p.m. – the game was moved up due to the possibility of inclement weather. Houston Mabray (2-2, 4.28) will get the start for the Trojans in the rubber match.