Troy and Georgia State Split Friday Twin Bill

Thursday, March 29

Troy, Ala.

6:30 PM

Troy University

18-8, 4-3

Georgia State

12-13, 1-5

Georgia State

Troy

Troy and Georgia State Split Friday Twin Bill

3/30/2018 10:08:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (Game One)Box Score (Game Two)

By: Jace Sanders

TROY, Alabama – Troy dominated Georgia State in game one, but the Panthers bounced back to take game two and split the first two games of the Sun Belt conference series Friday evening at Riddle-Pace Field.

The Trojans (18-9, 4-4) powered past the Panthers (13-13, 2-5) with a 14-4 victory in game one, while Georgia State scored three in the top of the ninth to win game two, 5-2.

Game One – Troy 14, Georgia State 4
In a game that started Thursday night but was suspended in the third inning until Friday afternoon due to weather, Troy came out with 11 runs in the middle innings to run away with the opener.

The Trojan offense put together 15 hits to tie the season-high with 14 runs. Four of those hits came from the bat of Joey Denison – who finished 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Five other Troy batters turned in a multiple hit game – Matt Sanders, Drew Frederic, Chase Smartt, Brody Binder and Manning Early – all with two apiece. The biggest swing of bat came in the fourth inning, when Frederic launched a two-run homer deep to dead center.

On the mound, the Trojans were gifted with a stellar relief performance from Corey Childress (2-1) who restarted the game for Troy in the fourth and finished the game on the hill. The senior stuck out five and allowed just one run on three hits in six innings of work.

Bryan White (0-3) suffered loss after allowing seven runs on six hits and four walks in just two innings of work.

Game Two – Georgia State 5, Troy 2
The Panthers plated three on two hits in the top of the ninth inning to break a six-inning tie and even the series. Will Kilgore delivered the game-winning blow for Georgia State on a two-RBI, bases loaded single in the frame.

Brandon Baker (2-1) sent the Trojans packing with two perfect innings to close the game and earn the win. Baker relieved Panther ace Hunter Gaddis – who threw 121 pitches and gave up just two runs on eight hits in seven innings.

Georgia State struck first with two runs in the second inning, with the first of two on a Kilgore RBI triple – he finished 2-for-4 to lead the Panthers in the matchup.

Troy responded with a couple of runs in the bottom of the frame, both coming from a one-out double from Brody Binder – who led the Trojans with a 3-for-4 night at the plate.

The game remained knotted up at two for six straight innings before the tie was broken in the ninth. CJ Carter (3-3) gave up the three runs in the final inning to wear the loss for the Trojans.

Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"It's disappointing to lose a game like that. But we have to be positive because of the big win earlier today. We missed an opportunity to take the series today but we still have tomorrow to come back and win it."

Sound "Smartt" with Your Friends
Joey Denison has now driven in 35 runs in 27 games in 2018 – which puts him on pace to tie the Troy school record in the regular season. The current record holder is Tom King, who drove in 73 runs in 2006.

Notable
• Senior Matt Sanders scored four runs in game one moving his season total to 40 and helping his top-five national ranking in the category.

• In the last three games, Brody Binder has recorded nine hits (9-for-13) to lead the Trojans. The senior had just 14 hits in the first 24 games of the season.

• Drew Frederic's fourth-inning homer in game one was Troy's first round-tripper since Joey Denison's inside-the-park home run at UAB on March 13. It was Frederic's second blast of the year and his career.

On Deck
The Trojans and Panthers will square off tomorrow on "Championship Saturday" for the series. RHP Daren Osby (3-0, 3.60) will start on the hill for Troy with first pitch at 1 p.m.