Trojans Even Series with Mountaineers

Saturday, April 7

Boone, N.C.

2:00 PM

Troy University

21-10, 0

Appalachian State

8-20, 0

Troy

Appalachian State

4/7/2018 6:26:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Jace Sanders

BOONE, N.C. – Troy recorded double-digit hits for the sixth time in the last seven games to down Appalachian State, 6-2, and even the Sun Belt Conference series Saturday afternoon at Smith Stadium.

Troy (21-10, 6-5) battled through a misty, cold afternoon on top of the mountain and out-hit the Mountaineers (8-20, 1-10), 10 to 4.

Matt Sanders, Brandon Lockridge and Rigsby Mosley recorded two hits apiece for the Trojans. Sanders scored twice, Lockridge drove in one and Mosley ripped two extra-base hits – a double and a triple.

Overall, it was a much more balanced game for the Troy lineup, as seven different Trojans recorded at least one hit – yesterday the first five batters had 11 of the 12 hits.

Stellar pitching performances from Daren Osby (5-0), Jackson Cofer and Levi Thomas stymied App's offensive attack. Osby remained undefeated on the season with six innings of four-hit, five strikeout work. Cofer and Thomas finished the game with three hitless, scoreless innings on the mound, while combining for five strikeouts.

Appalachian State tied the game at one in the bottom of the second, but was outscored 5-1 in the middle innings to drop its 10^th game of the conference season. Despite fanning seven batters, starter Andrew Vaccacio (1-7) suffered the loss – allowing six runs on nine hits and four walks in 5.1 innings on the mound.

Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"Daren (Osby) was great again, then he turned the ball over to Cofer and Thomas who picked up right where he left off. The weather conditions weren't great today but I'm proud of the way our team responded to come away with the win to even the series."

Sound "Smartt" with your Friends
Daren Osby is 5-0 to start the season, becoming the first Trojan to reach that threshold since Shane McCain started the 2013 campaign 7-0 – he finished the year 9-1.

Notable
• Matt Sanders scored two runs to take his season total to 45 – he entered the weekend ranked second nationally in the category.

• Junior Brandon Lockridge moved within one stolen base of team and conference-leader Drew Frederic with his 16^th of the season. Lockridge was caught stealing for the first time in 2018 in Saturday's game.

• Team RBI-leader Joey Denison drove in a run on a single in the first inning to tie for the Sun Belt lead at 38.

On Deck
Troy and Appalachian State are set to play the rubber match at 12 p.m. (CT) Sunday. The Trojans will send Rush Hixon (1-1, 3.04) to the mound for the Championship Sunday start.