Trojans Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Georgia Southern

Sunday, May 7

Troy, Ala.

1 p.m.

Troy University

33-16, 0

Georgia Southern

24-23, 0

Georgia Southern

Troy

Trojans Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Georgia Southern

5/7/2023 4:30:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala- The Trojans battled all afternoon but couldn't complete the comeback as Georgia Southern salvaged a win after a 9-7 victory Sunday afternoon from Riddle-Pace Field.

After being down five runs, Troy (33-16, 13-11) slowly got within two runs on three separate occasions after a three-run sixth and a run in both the seventh and eighth inning. Troy looked to tie the game and even walk it off in the bottom of the ninth after loading the bases with one out until a double play ended the threat.

Kyle Mock hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth for his seventh home run of the season, while Caleb Bartolero went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and scored twice. Ethan Kavanagh extended his team-leading hitting streak to 10 games with two more today, giving him 15 multi-hit games on the year. William Sullivan also had three hits which give him the most on the Trojans with six three-hit games this season.

Sullivan was hit by a pitch for the 22nd time this season, giving him 42 for his career and putting him in a tie with Steven Felix for most all-time. He is four away from setting the single-season record.

Georgia Southern (24-23, 14-10) responded to each of the Trojans' rallies with two runs in the top of the sixth and runs in the seventh and eighth as well. The Eagles had three players with two RBIs, and five players recorded two hits in the ball game.

Georgia Southern got to Trojan starter Ben Thompson (5-2) for five runs in 3.2 innings of work. Thompson struck out five, walked two, and allowed seven hits. Zach Fruit came out of the bullpen and went 4.1 innings but allowed four runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Noah Manning went an inning and kept the game close getting all three batters he faced.

Mitchell Gross (3-2) for Georgia Southern also allowed five runs in his start, lasting 5.1 innings and giving up seven hits, two walks, and striking out four. Ben Johnson earned his first save of the season after going 3.2 innings.

Thompson struck out the side in the first inning, but Georgia Southern got on the board with a solo home run to take the lead. In the second, they added two more with a leadoff single followed by a double, wild pitch, hit batter, and a sacrifice bunt fielder's choice to take a 3-0 lead after two.

After holding Georgia Southern scoreless in the third, the Eagles added their fourth and fifth runs of the game after two quick outs. Two triples in the inning both came across to score after a wild pitch and a single.

The Trojans started to chip away at the five-run deficit with two runs in the bottom of the fifth as the Trojans singled three times, with the third coming from Kavanagh, bringing in the first Trojans runs and his 31^st of the season. Troy loaded the bases and had one out after a Kyle Mock walk, but a sacrifice fly from Clay Stearns was all that was managed.

The Eagles restored their five-run lead in the top of the sixth, getting those two runs back, but Troy responded with three of their own courtesy of a Mock three-run home run to bring Troy within two and make it a 7-5 game.

In the seventh and eighth, the two teams traded runs, each scoring to make it 9-7 going into the ninth. The Eagles went down in order, giving Troy an opportunity. Bartolero and Sullivan each singled with one out, and a Tremayne Cobb Jr. walk loaded the bases. However, the big hit never came as Johnson got a 6-4-3 double play to win the game.

Troy sees their final midweek of the season on Tuesday, May 9, from Riverwalk Stadium, when they get set to play Alabama for the second time this season. Fans looking to purchase tickets can do so through the Montgomery Biscuits ticket office.