Troy’s Ninth Inning Rally Stuns Samford

Tuesday, May 3

Birmingham, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

Samford

5/3/2022 10:35:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Trailing 7-6 in the top of the ninth, Troy rallied for a four-run inning to come from behind and beat the Samford Bulldogs 10-8 Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.

Getting his first start of the season, only appearing in three games before tonight, Justin Kelley steeped up to the plate and singled up the middle to bring in both the tying run and go-ahead run after an error by the centerfielder.

Before tonight Troy (29-14, 13-8) was 0-11 when trailing after the eighth inning.

The Trojans saw big nights from Kyle Mock, who finished the game with three RBIs, two hits, and a home run. Kelley also finished with three RBIs with two walks and a hit.

Marquez Oates (2-1) earns his second win after coming in the bottom of the seventh inning. Oates came in with no outs and a man on first and induced a ground ball double play to quickly get out of the seventh inning. He would go back out and work a 1-2-3 eighth.

Grayson Stewart shut the door on the Bulldogs for his fifth save of the season.

For Samford (20-22), Carson Hobbs (1-3) takes the loss giving up all four runs in the ninth.

Kelley gave Troy a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning after hitting a ball deep behind third base, making it difficult for the third baseman to make an accurate throw. However, the throw got behind the first baseman allowing Eastin Kirk to score from first as he got on with a hit by pitch.

Four straight hits, including a three-run home run in the bottom of the second, gave Samford a 4-1 advantage. The Bulldogs had six hits total in the first two frames.

The Trojans cut into the Samford lead as back-to-back doubles with two outs from William Sullivan and Mock gave Troy their second run of the game. The inning continued as catcher Caleb Bartolero in a 3-2 count and two runners on, connected for the third straight double and made it 4-3.

Kelley continued his impressive evening as he drew a bases-loaded walk to even the game at 4-4.

Bay Witcher, who started the game for Troy, ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth as the bases were loaded with Bulldogs. Facing a 3-2 count with nowhere to put him, Witcher got a massive strikeout to end the inning.

Witcher's final line was five innings pitched, allowing five runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts. The Bulldogs had a hit in every single inning except for the eighth.

Getting out of the inning and allowing no runs to score proved crucial, as in the inning immediately following, Troy took a 5-4 lead as Mock sent his sixth home run 370 feet over the fence and into Troy's bullpen.

The lead lasted a half inning as the Bulldogs evened things up at five, when a slow ground ball to shortstop brought in the runner from third, giving Hall only one play at second to get the second out.

Kyle Gamble entered the game in the sixth inning, and Samford was able to plate the go-ahead run after a leadoff walk came around to score off a double to center field. But these two teams continued to go back and forth as Troy responded in the top of the seventh as Kelley sent a ball far enough to center field for a sacrifice fly and tie the game at 6-6 for his second RBI of the night.

The two teams went back and forth as Samford retook the lead, scoring in their third straight inning with a leadoff double and single, giving the Bulldogs a 7-6 advantage.

Despite Easton Kirk striking out to start the ninth, he reached first on a wild pitch. Then, Cameron Gray second hit of the evening put runners on the corners and set the table for Kelley. Next, the Trojans tacked on insurance runs with back-to-back bases-loaded walks.

Samford added a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Stewart and the Trojans would not allow anything else to come of it.

Up Next: The Trojans travel to Statesboro, Ga., for a pivotal Sun Belt series against the Georgia Southern Eagles beginning on Friday, May 6 at 5:30 p.m.