Trojans Hold Off Evansville for Series Sweep

Sunday, February 19

Troy, Ala.

1 p.m.

Troy University

3-0

Evansville

0-3

Evansville

Troy

Trojans Hold Off Evansville for Series Sweep

2/19/2023 6:56:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score PDF Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – After an eight-run lead turned into a one-run ball game in the top of the ninth, the Trojans were able to get out of the jam and prevail en route to a series sweep of Evansville after an 11-10 win Sunday afternoon from Riddle-Pace Field.

"You come into the weekend hoping to win three games; everything you do is that mindset," head coach Skylar Meade said. "There was certainly good, bad, and weird in the middle, but baseball can be like that. We had the potential to lose that game; college baseball is weird, and every play matters, and it's why we need to stay focused the entire game. Luckily our bullpen came in and stepped up, and we made the pitches and plays we needed to have a successful opening weekend."

The Aces quickly erased a 10-2 lead for Troy in the top of the eighth as they scored six runs to make things interesting. William Sullivan responded with what would later become the eventual winning run; as he took the first pitch, he saw 413 feet to center field for the Trojan's third home run on the day, giving Troy the much-needed insurance.

This is the second straight season the Trojans (3-0) have swept opening weekend after doing so against Holy Cross to open 2022.

After leading the team in wins last season, all coming out of the bullpen, Grayson Stewart (1-0) got the start on the mound for Troy and picked up his first win as a starter in his Trojan career. Stewart finished the day going five innings allowing just two runs on six hits with five strikeouts.

The Aces (0-3) will head back to Evansville without a win as Trojan hitters attacked starting pitcher Donovan Schultz (0-1) early and often only going three innings pitched, giving up five runs with only three strikeouts and three walks.

Troy got on the board right from the start as Caleb Bartolero hit his second home run of the season three batters into the ball game to give Troy a 1-0 lead.

Evansville responded with two runs in the third to take the lead. Still, it didn't last long as Ethan Kavanagh stepped up with runners on second and third, hitting a deep fly ball that was far enough to score the tying run easily, and due to some aggressive base running, Kole Myers scored all the way from second base beating the tag to give Troy the lead for good.

Troy scored in four straight innings as Clay Stearns, and Shane Lewis hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fourth, followed by a Sullivan sacrifice fly. In total, the Trojans hit 10 home runs this weekend, with Lewis finishing with three and nine RBIs.

Trojan pitching finished the series striking out 40 batters holding the Ace's hitters to a .250 batting average.

Following Stewart, the Troy bullpen was called upon to finish it out. Logan Ross went 1.2 innings pitched with three strikeouts. Noah Janney, Matt Mercer, Taiga Yamane, and Grady Gorgen all saw action before Noah Manning came in, got the final out, and earned the save a day after earning his first win of the season.

Troy will have one day to prepare as the first midweek of the season sees in-state foe Alabama State come to Riddle-Pace Field on Tuesday, Feb 21. at 6 p.m.