Trojans Fight Back but Fall to Southern Miss

Thursday, May 25

Montgomery, Ala.

4 p.m.

Troy University

39-19

Southern Miss

39-16

Troy

Southern Miss

Trojans Fight Back but Fall to Southern Miss

5/25/2023 9:28:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – On three different occasions, the Trojans overcame a deficit, including a three-run eighth inning, to tie the game at 6-6. However, in the bottom of the ninth, Southern Miss went on to secure the 7-6 walk-off win Thursday night from Riverwalk Stadium.

With the loss, the Trojans (39-19) enter the double-elimination portion of the bracket and will match up again with Appalachian State for the second time this tournament and the fifth time in the past eight days. The first pitch between the Trojans and Mountaineers is scheduled for 3 p.m. ct from Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.

A fielding error started the Trojan rally in the eighth, then three singles capped off by a Tremayne Cobb Jr. hit brought in two runs to bring Troy within one. With runners at the corners following Cobb Jr., Donovan Whibbs reached on a fielder's choice after the first baseman could not pick the ball out of the dirt, allowing Troy to tie the game.

A leadoff single for Southern Miss (39-16) started the ninth, and a passed ball immediately put him in scoring position. A walk and strikeout had brought up Danny Lynch, who then singled to bring home the winning run.

Ben Thompson (5-3), who had struck out six in 2.2 innings of work, gets the loss for Troy as Justin Storm (4-1) allowed two hits and a run in 1.2 innings to pick up the win for the Golden Eagles.

Each team totaled double-digit hits as William Sullivan led the way for the Trojans with three, which included a triple and three runs scored. Both Whibbs and Cobb Jr. finished with two RBIs, and Caleb Bartolero had a hit in his third straight game, finishing with an RBI and a run scored.

Billy Oldham got the stat for Southern Miss. He lasted five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while not walking anyone with six strikeouts. Leadoff hitter Matthew Etzel had three hits to lead Southern Miss and two RBIs. Dustin Dickerson and Johnson Blake each finished with two hits and two RBIs.

After a scoreless first inning for both teams, the Trojans got on the board first after a couple of hits. Sullivan led off the second with a single and was on second after a wild pitch. On the next pitch, Whibbs singled to the left-center field gap to score Sullivan and give Troy the early 1-0 lead.

Southern Miss scored twice in the bottom of the third to take the lead. The Golden Eagles used three singles to score the two runs, but Logan Ross limited the damage and stranded two runners to keep it a one-run ball game.

The Trojans wasted no time tying the ball game at 2-2 the next inning. With two outs, it was Sullivan again scoring for Troy as his two-out triple put him on third, where he would score after a wild pitch from Southern Miss.

The Golden Eagles used back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fifth to regain the one-run advantage and make 3-2. But, once again, Ross stranded the runner at second as it remained a one-run ball game.

The back-and-forth affair continued as the Trojans once again responded to the Southern Miss run with a run of their own to tie it at 3-3. Kole Myers led off the sixth with a double, and Ethan Kavanagh moved him to third with a single. With runners at the corners, Bartolero made contact reaching on a fielder's choice, and Myers was off to home, scoring safely.

The game wasn't tied for long as, once again, Southern Miss regained the lead after four straight hits, including a two-run double and a single to make 6-3. Trojan starter Logan Ross departed shortly after to finish his outing. Ross went 5.1 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, with two walks and six strikeouts.

The winner of tomorrow's matchup between Troy and Appalachian State will go on to the semi-final and play Southern Miss on Saturday.