Troy University Athletics
Friday, March 10
Orlando, Fla.
5 p.m.
Troy University
11-3
3
at
5
UCF
10-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Troy
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
6
2
UCF
0
1
0
0
2
2
0
0
X
5
8
1
Trojans Drop Hard-Fought Series Opener to UCF
3/10/2023 8:45:00 PM | Baseball
ORLANDO, Fla. – A tightly played contest went in favor of UCF as the Knights were able to hold off the Trojans 5-3 Friday night from John Euliano Park, giving Troy their third straight loss.
The Trojans (11-3) three runs came off the bat of William Sullivan as he blasted a three-run home run in the top of the third. Sullivan finished the night 3-3, a triple shy of the cycle, and recorded the Trojans' only two extra-base hits.
UCF (10-3) used the long ball to their advantage homering on three different occasions, including a two-run shot to take the lead in the sixth.
Brady Fuller (1-1) picks up his first loss of the season, giving up four runs, three earned, on eight hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. Fuller held the Knights in check for most of the evening, but UCF scored four unanswered runs to tie and eventually took the lead in the fifth and sixth frames.
Knights starter Ruddy Gomez (2-0) made it difficult on the Trojans all night, going 7.2 innings and striking out 11 while only allowing three runs, one earned on six hits with 11 strikeouts. However, Gomez benefited from some questionable calls in critical situations as the Trojans tried to mount a comeback.
Grady Gorgen came out of the Trojan bullpen and kept Troy in the game during the later stages throwing three scoreless innings allowing no hits, and striking out two.
The home team got on the board first as Ben McCabe hit a solo shot in an 0-2 count. The Knights loaded the bases shortly after, but Fuller got out of the jam with a strikeout and a fielder's choice to the shortstop.
The next inning Sullivan made himself right at home as the Orlando native blasted a three-run home run in the top of the third to give the Trojans the lead immediately after the Knights had scored.
Despite steady rainfall, the ball continued to fly out of the ballpark, with UCF hitting another solo home run from John Rhys Plumlee, who brought the game to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
UCF eventually tied the game in the fifth in part to a Trojan error after Troy could not turn a double play. Then, with a runner on second, two wild pitches saw the host tie the game 3-3.
The deadlock was broken in the bottom of the sixth with another UCF home run. A two-run shot gave the Knights the lead and made it 5-3 where the game would finish.
The Trojans had their chances to take the lead prior as Sullivan doubled to lead off the inning, but Gomez struck out the side shortly after.
In the top of the ninth, a leadoff walk had brought the tying run up to the plate, but the Trojans could not capitalize, finishing the game having left nine men on base.
The three-game series continues tomorrow, Saturday, March 11, at 3 p.m. as Troy looks to even the series and end the three-game losing streak.
The Trojans (11-3) three runs came off the bat of William Sullivan as he blasted a three-run home run in the top of the third. Sullivan finished the night 3-3, a triple shy of the cycle, and recorded the Trojans' only two extra-base hits.
UCF (10-3) used the long ball to their advantage homering on three different occasions, including a two-run shot to take the lead in the sixth.
Brady Fuller (1-1) picks up his first loss of the season, giving up four runs, three earned, on eight hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. Fuller held the Knights in check for most of the evening, but UCF scored four unanswered runs to tie and eventually took the lead in the fifth and sixth frames.
Knights starter Ruddy Gomez (2-0) made it difficult on the Trojans all night, going 7.2 innings and striking out 11 while only allowing three runs, one earned on six hits with 11 strikeouts. However, Gomez benefited from some questionable calls in critical situations as the Trojans tried to mount a comeback.
Grady Gorgen came out of the Trojan bullpen and kept Troy in the game during the later stages throwing three scoreless innings allowing no hits, and striking out two.
The home team got on the board first as Ben McCabe hit a solo shot in an 0-2 count. The Knights loaded the bases shortly after, but Fuller got out of the jam with a strikeout and a fielder's choice to the shortstop.
The next inning Sullivan made himself right at home as the Orlando native blasted a three-run home run in the top of the third to give the Trojans the lead immediately after the Knights had scored.
Despite steady rainfall, the ball continued to fly out of the ballpark, with UCF hitting another solo home run from John Rhys Plumlee, who brought the game to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
UCF eventually tied the game in the fifth in part to a Trojan error after Troy could not turn a double play. Then, with a runner on second, two wild pitches saw the host tie the game 3-3.
The deadlock was broken in the bottom of the sixth with another UCF home run. A two-run shot gave the Knights the lead and made it 5-3 where the game would finish.
The Trojans had their chances to take the lead prior as Sullivan doubled to lead off the inning, but Gomez struck out the side shortly after.
In the top of the ninth, a leadoff walk had brought the tying run up to the plate, but the Trojans could not capitalize, finishing the game having left nine men on base.
The three-game series continues tomorrow, Saturday, March 11, at 3 p.m. as Troy looks to even the series and end the three-game losing streak.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gomez, Ruddy (2-0)
L: Fuller, Brady (1-1)
S: Kramer, Kyle (2)
Batting:
2B: Sullivan, William 1
HR: Sullivan, William 1
RBI: Sullivan, William 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Myers, Kole 1 ; Kavanagh, Ethan 1 ; Sullivan, William 1
HBP: Kavanagh, Ethan 1 ; Sullivan, William 1
Batting:
2B: Sundean, Andrew 1
HR: McCabe, Ben 1 ; Boedicker, Lex 1 ; Plumlee, John Rhys 1
RBI: McCabe, Ben 1 ; Boedicker, Lex 2 ; Plumlee, John Rhys 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Faurot, Drew 1 ; McCabe, Ben 1 ; Sundean, Andrew 1 ; Boedicker, Lex 1 ; Plumlee, John Rhys 1
CS: Faurot, Drew 1 ; Plumlee, John Rhys 1
HBP: Faurot, Drew 1 ; Plumlee, John Rhys 2
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
pr/3b
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Behind The Wall - S10, E4
Thursday, September 25
Gerad Parker - SBC Media Zoom
Monday, September 22
Gerad Parker Postgame Press Conference - Buffalo
Saturday, September 20
Player Postgame Press Conference - Evan Crenshaw, Jordan Stringer, Tucker Kilcrease
Saturday, September 20