Baseball Hosts Alabama Wednesday at Riddle-Pace Field

TROY, Alabama – Troy continues its seven-game homestand Wednesday night when the Trojans play host to Alabama at Riddle-Pace Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. as Troy goes for its first season sweep of Alabama since 1979.

Gates to Riddle-Pace Field will open an hour earlier than normal so fans can watch batting practice beginning at 4 p.m. Troy men's basketball head coach Scott Cross will be on hand to throw out the first pitch.

Troy defeated Alabama, 8-4, in Tuscaloosa back on April 2 on the strength of a second inning grand slam from Reed Smith and six strong innings out of the bullpen from Sadler Goodwin. It was Troy's (25-23) first win at Alabama (27-21) since 2006.

Head coach Mark Smartt's Trojans enter their final home mid-week contest swinging some of the hottest bats in the country. Troy has hit 29 home runs over its last 16 games with 15 of those homers coming in four games last week. As a team, the Trojans hit .371 with 31 extra-base hits – 14 doubles, two triples and 15 home runs – with a .788 slugging percentage and .418 on-base percentage last week.

Chase Smartt led the charge at the plate on his way to Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honors. The younger Smartt batted .632 with six doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs and six runs scored all while posting a 1.895 OPS.

Drew Frederic also had a solid week offensively with a pair of home runs and a pair of doubles among his nine hits while Cole Prestegard became the first Trojan to homer in three straight games since 2013.

Troy moved within a game of first place in the crowded Sun Belt Eastern Division with six league games remaining – five teams are separated by a game in the division – thanks to its series victory over Georgia Southern.

Junior southpaw Max Newton (2-4, 6.09) will make his ninth start of the season on the bump for the Trojans after he turned in five strong innings last week where he allowed just a pair of runs on five hits over five innings against Alabama State. Newton started the first meeting against the Crimson Tide and allowed a run on a hit in two innings of work but struggled with his control walking three batters.

Scouting Alabama
Alabama comes to Troy scuffling having lost 10 of its last 14 games; however, three of the Crimson Tide's wins over that period have come during the mid-week. Alabama sits 6-18 overall in SEC play and 8-10 away from home on the year. Alabama sends right-hander Tyler Ras to the hill, and the freshman has appeared in 13 games with 10 starts this season and is 1-2 overall with a 3.06 ERA. Morgan McCollugh leads Alabama offensively batting at a .316 clip with 12 doubles while Tyler Gentry provides the pop with 10 home runs.

BROADCAST INFO
Online: ESPN+
Radio: WTBF 94.7 FM
            Online: TroyTrojans.com/Showcase
Live Stats: TroyStats.com

SERIES HISTORY
Alabama (27-21, 6-18)
Overall Series: 12-22
            At Troy: 4-4
Streak: Troy W1
Last: April 2, 2019
            Troy won, 8-4

PITCHING MATCHUPS (Troy vs. Alabama)
LHP Max Newton (2-4, 6.09) vs. RHP Tyler Ras (1-2, 3.06)

Baseball Hosts Alabama Wednesday at Riddle-Pace Field

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Players Mentioned

Drew Frederic

Sadler Goodwin

Max Newton

Cole Prestegard

Chase Smartt

Reed Smith

Troy University Athletics