Troy University Athletics
Troy University
South Alabama
Troy Baseball Falls in Game One to South Alabama
3/22/2024 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. – Despite a pair of three-run innings, Troy baseball couldn't overcome a four-run fifth and five-run ninth inning by South Alabama to fall in game one, 12-8, Friday night at Riddle-Pace Field.
Troy's bats got off to a hot start in the bottom of the first when Kole Myers led with a 2-2 single through the left side, followed by an Ethan Kavanagh 1-2 single to left field, putting two runners on. With a 1-1 count, Brooks Bryan sent his sixth homer past the center field wall for the 3-0 lead.
A silent second inning was met with South Alabama's first run, 3-1 when three walks loaded the bases. After a Garrett Gainous strikeout, a hit-by-pitch on Joseph Sullivan pushed Duncan Mathews home. South trimmed the deficit to one, 3-2, at the top of the fourth on a double to left field for Jacob Haley, followed by a single for JG Bell, allowing Haley to round his way home. Logan Ross (2-1) took over the mound and sat down two batters to get out of the inning.
South Alabama took the lead, 6-3, in the top of the fifth on a pair of walks, four wild pitches and a double to right field for Brennan Holt. They pushed the advantage to four, 7-3, on the fourth pitch of the seventh inning when Joseph Sullivan solo homered to right field.
The Trojans roared back in the bottom of the eighth, cutting the South lead to one, 7-6. Blake Sutton started Troy off with a 1-1 single to right center before Shane Lewis and Aidan Gilroy loaded the bases on an eight-pitch walk and hit-by-pitch, respectively. The runs poured in four pitches later when Myers knocked his second single of the night to center, scoring Sutton 7-4. Then, Kavanagh drilled a double over the right fielder's head to bring Gilroy and Lewis home.
The top of the ninth had South put it away when two walks led to one run when Sullivan hit an 0-1 single to right center, 8-6. Then, with two runners still on, a pair of errors and a Type-II Obstruction call allowed USA to take a 9-6 lead. Two more hits and a 2-run homer from Haley made it a five-run inning, 12-6.
There was no quit in the Trojans as Kyle Mock got his first hit, kicking off the top of the ninth. Up 3-1 in the count, Sutton sparked a late comeback with his third career home run, 12-8. Gilroy managed one more single before South Alabama finished it with a line out to third to take game one.
Up Next
Troy-South Alabama is set for game two of the series tomorrow at 3:33 p.m. at Riddle-Pace Field.
Home Numbers
• Bryan's homer to centerfield marked 397 feet, putting his season home run number to six and pushing his career total to 10.
• With a combined 18 strikeouts, Troy pushes its 2024 total to eight for games with 10-plus strikeouts – first since having 12 in game two against Northwestern State (March 2) and tied for a season-high (Kent State – Feb. 28)
• Despite the loss at RPF, the Trojans still maintain an 8-2 record at home.
• Gainous' seven strikeouts through 3.1 innings bring his totals up to 17 and marked a new season-high – previous was four against Kent State (Feb. 27).
• Troy's bats were on fire all night, outhitting the Jaguars 11-8.
• Mock's single in the bottom of the ninth extended his hitting streak to three while Gilroy's 2-for-4 performance pushed the team's leading streak to six.
