Late Rally Comes Up Short in Game Two Against South Alabama

Saturday, March 23

Troy, Ala.

3:33 p.m.

Troy University

15-9

South Alabama

14-9

South Alabama

Troy

Late Rally Comes Up Short in Game Two Against South Alabama

3/23/2024 8:30:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – The final four innings saw Troy outscore South Alabama 8-3, including a pair in the bottom of the ninth. But an early 7-0 hole through the first four proved too much for a 10-8 loss on Saturday night at Riddle-Pace Field.

The bats rolled early for the Jaguars (14-9, 2-3 SBC) when they capitalized on high winds for two solo homers by Ethan Melton and Jacob Haley to kick off the first, 2-0. The solo shots continued in the second when USA hit its third via Micah Morgan to right center, 3-0.

Inning No. 4 saw the Jaguars survive on two outs when a pair of walks, passed ball and single loaded the bases. Then, Joseph Sullivan stepped to the plate and doubled all three runners home, 6-0. USA wasn't done with its third of four walks in the inning, which resulted in a 7-0 lead when Brennan Holt doubled down the right field line.

Ethan Kavanagh and Kole Myers trickled Troy (15-9, 3-2 SBC) back in, 1-0, when Myers ripped his third triple of 2024 to center field, and Kavanagh sac flew him in at the bottom of the fifth.

USA pushed its advantage back to seven, 8-1, at the top of the sixth when a single for Holt and a throwing error by Troy put a runner on third. From there, Morgan tacked his second RBI of the night with a sac fly to center.

The Trojans rolled into the bottom of the sixth with five runs and four hits while capitalizing on two errors, 8-6. First, Tremayne Cobb Jr. reached on an error by South before an 0-1 single for Kyle Mock and a walk by Shane Lewis loaded the bases with one out. Aidan Gilroy took advantage with an 0-1 single to score Mock and Cobb Jr, 8-3. The runs kept coming on a 1-2 single by Myers to second base, scoring Lewis and advancing Gilroy, 8-4. The punctuation mark came via Kavanagh with his second RBI as Gilroy rushed the plate, resulting in the ball popping out of the catcher's hand to score two, 8-6.

Holt gave the Jaguars the needed cushion in the eighth after Sullivan earned the team's ninth walk and stole second. On the first pitch, Holt sent it over the center field wall, scoring two, 10-6.

With two outs on the board and Kavanagh on second with a single, the Trojans kept fighting when Cobb Jr. sent a 1-0 double to right field to bring No. 1 home, 10-7. Mock earned a walk to put two runners on and Blake Sutton took the 2-2 pitch to left center for an RBI single, 10-8 – pushed Mock to third.

Lance Gardiner pinch ran for Sutton and advanced to second on a passed ball, followed by a Mikey Bello 4-1 walk to reload the bases. Freshman Peyton Watts stepped up to the plate and battled his way to a full count. But the final pitch ended Troy's rally, 10-8, to give USA the series win.

Cam Hill (3-1) earned his third win of the year with 5.1 innings pitched for USA, giving up five earned runs and eight hits through 98 pitches. Kristian Asbury shined through 2.1 innings, leading the Trojans with five strikeouts while allowing one walk.

Head Coach Skylar Meade
"Credit to South for coming out ready to go. They had their guys prepared, and that resulted in us being in an early hole. We didn't execute early, and on a day when the wind's blowing, you'd be a fool not to take advantage. I never questioned our ability to compete. They jumped on every opportunity to come back. We told the guys that this is a lesson that the runs early matter just as much as the ones at the end. You have to be ready to go. It's 27 outs on both sides. I know we will be ready tomorrow. We have to figure out some stuff for tomorrow in terms of who to start for the final game, but credit goes to South."

Up Next
Game three of the Troy-South Alabama series kicks off at 1 p.m. at Riddle-Pace Field for 'Military Sunday.'

Game Two Stats
• Through the first two games, the Trojans are still outhitting USA 25-20 after 14 hits Saturday night.
• Asbury's five strikeouts with zero runs given up keeps him at 0.0 for an ERA – one of two Trojans (Josh Dima).
• Through two games, Myers tacked on six hits after going 4-for-5 today and 2-for-4 yesterday.
• Myers' four hits marked his first career game with 4-plus hits, setting a career-high previously set at three on seven occasions.
• Troy's nine walks was one short of a season-high set in game two at Indiana (10). On the reverse side, its batters struck out just six times, marking the fifth time Troy had less than seven – first since Northwestern State (1) on March 2.