Troy Grinds Out Tough Win on Opening Night

Friday, February 15

Troy, Ala.

6:00 PM

Troy University

1-0

Central Michigan

0-1

Central Michigan

Troy

Troy Grinds Out Tough Win on Opening Night

2/15/2019 10:44:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Alabama – Troy baseball started off the 2019 season with a hard-fought, 3-2 win over Central Michigan in a low-scoring affair at Riddle-Pace Field Friday night.

Troy's (1-0) bats were kept quiet for the first six innings of the ballgame but were able to come through when it mattered to bring home the one-run victory. Chase Smartt led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a seeing-eye single, and Reed Smith followed with a two-run, opposite-field homer over the monster in right field in his first at-bat in a Troy uniform – he finished 1-for-1 with the two RBI and two runs scored.

Despite the offensive struggles early the Trojans were able to stay in the game thanks to stellar performances on the mound. It all started with a solid starting performance from sophomore Levi Thomas – who fanned seven of the 19 batters he faced in 4.2 innings on the mound.

Junior reliever Ryan Fultz (1-0) was able to earn his first career win after he dealt a couple of strikeouts to get Troy out of a tough jam in the top of the seventh. Senior Rush Hixon (1) picked up the two-inning save, fanning three batters in the process.

The Trojans weren't able to crack the scoreboard until the fifth inning, scoring a run without tallying a hit on a sacrifice fly from freshman Logan Cerny – the team was held hitless until the seventh inning.

Central Michigan (0-1) out-hit Troy yet was never able to take a lead in the ballgame. Pat Leatherman was phenomenal in his start on the mound for the Chippewas – working five hitless frames with seven strikeouts. The only baserunner Leatherman allowed was a walk in the fifth that came around to score on a couple of wild pitches and the Cerny sac fly. Jack Collins (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of relief.

Four of the Chippewas' six hits came from right fielder Zach Gilles, who went 4-for-4 at the plate with a run scored in the game.

Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"1-0. Really proud of our guys, we did a lot of good things tonight. Levi (Thomas) was good and Rush (Hixon) came through in the ninth. We didn't do much with the bat, but we did enough. I thought Reed Smith had as good of an at-bat as you'll see; falling behind with two strikes, fouling three pitches off, then running one out of here. It's just great to get a win on Opening Night."

Senior Rush Hixon
"First time out with a tight game and an electric atmosphere and I got a little too amped up in the eighth, but I was able to reel it in for the ninth and finish strong. Levi's a stud. He did it all year last year and he's doing it again this year. I look forward to seeing what we can do this year."

Sophomore Reed Smith
"I knew my opportunity was going to come tonight. I just wanted to get good swings on good pitches. He threw a fastball, I got the barrel to it and sent it out of here. I didn't think it was going out, so I was hustling around the bases before I saw it hit the top of the wall."

Sound "Smartt" With Your Friends
With the win, Troy has now won eight of its last nine season openers. In the last 17 years with Mark Smartt on the coaching staff, the Trojans have won 14 season openers.

Notable
• In his final Opening Game, senior catcher Chase Smartt picked up Troy's first hit of the season with a single in the bottom of the seventh. Smartt also recorded the Trojans' first hit of the 2018 season in the opener against UT Martin.

• Preseason All-American Drew Frederic singled in the eighth inning to start his junior year on the right foot. Frederic led all returners in batting average, doubles, homers, RBI and stolen bases coming into the 2019 season.

• Starter Levi Thomas delivered a career-high seven strikeouts in his first career Friday night start. He has now struck out seven batters five times in his eight career starts – including four seven-strikeout games in his last five appearances in 2018.

Up Next
The Opening Weekend series between the Trojans and Chippewas will continue with some doubleheader action on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. Troy will send freshman righty Bay Witcher and junior southpaw Max Newton to the mound for the start in each game, respectively.