Troy Falls in Series-Opener to South Alabama

Thursday, April 1

Mobile, Ala.

6:30 p.m.

Troy University

13-11, 2-2

South Alabama

14-10, 3-1

Troy

South Alabama

Troy Falls in Series-Opener to South Alabama

4/1/2021 10:26:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Troy Athletics Communications

MOBILE, Ala. – Troy struggled to get the bats going as it dropped the series-opener against South Alabama on a chilly Thursday night in Mobile. A pair of early errors hurt the Trojans as they fell 6-0 to the Jags.

Orlando Ortiz looked back to his normal self as he entered in the game in a relief role for the first time in his Troy career in the fifth inning. Ortiz allowed just one hit, struck out seven and retired nine consecutive batters to close the game.

Bay Witcher (3-2) wore the loss for the Trojans on the mound after giving up two earned runs on five hits in four innings. The righty struck out six on the night, but Troy's two errors allowed four unearned runs to cross during his outing.

The Trojans (13-11, 2-2 SBC) scattered six runs and placed the leadoff batter on base in five out of nine innings, but finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Rigsby Mosley became the ninth Trojan in program history to record at least 200 hits with a single to center field in the eighth. Logan Cerny extended his career-best hit streak to eight games while Drew Frederic reached base for his 33^rd consecutive game.

Troy squandered an opportunity to take an early lead as it left the bases loaded in the top of the first, opening the door for South Alabama to strike first with a four-run opening frame.

Caleb Bartolero and Dalton Sinquefield both singled to lead off the fourth but the Trojans failed to capitalize, stranding runners on the corners in the inning. The Jags extended their lead to 6-0 with a run in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Troy's final quality chance to get on the board came in the eighth when Bartolero got a hold of a ball with runners on the corners and two outs, but the wind was blowing in directly from left field and he flied out on the play.

Jeremy Lee (2-1) was the pitcher of record for the Jags (14-10, 3-1 SBC) as he tossed six scoreless innings, struck out nine and allowed Troy to tally just four hits. Miles Smith earned his first save of the year after completing the shut out with a three-inning outing.

Quotable – Head Coach Mark Smartt
"Not a good effort tonight. It's disappointing. We had an opportunity to score early in the game and we couldn't do it. [South Alabama] came in and scored four runs, we didn't defend very well in the game. We need to improve quickly to get this series even tomorrow."

On Troy's pitching
"Orlando was great tonight. We had to take him out of the rotation, but it was good to get him back out there. He was excellent. Bay Witcher also threw well. He got the loss and the line doesn't look very good, but he pitched well enough to win, we just didn't defend well enough behind him. The pitching was not the issue tonight."

Notable

Logan Cerny extended his career-long hit streak to eight games with a single through the left side in the eighth inning.
Drew Frederic reached base for the 33^rd consecutive game dating back to last season.
Rigsby Mosley tallied the 200th hit of his career with a single to center field in the eighth. Mosley is the ninth Trojan in program history to record at least 200 career hits and sits in ninth on Troy's all-time hits list.
Orlando Ortiz retired nine consecutive batters to close the game.

Up Next
Troy is back in action in game two against South Alabama Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. in Mobile.