Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Louisiana
No. 18 Troy Opens Sun Belt Slate at Louisiana
3/13/2025 3:33:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - No. 18 Troy is hitting the road for its first Sun Belt Conference series this weekend as the Trojans will head to Lafayette, La., to take on Louisiana.
The Trojans (13-4) climbed to No. 18 in this week's NCBWA Top 25, which is tied for the highest ranking in Troy's Division I history. Troy is 11-1 in its first four weekend series this season and most recently took their final non-conference series 2-1 at USC Upstate.
Troy takes on Louisiana (8-10) after taking last year's series 2-1 while the Ragin' Cajuns were ranked No. 18. The Trojans have won each of their last three series against Louisiana.Â
The Troy offense is led by the Sun Belt's RBI leader Brooks Bryan (28), a season after the Golden Spikes Award seminfinalist set the Troy record with 85 RBIs. First baseman Blake Cavill ranks 16th in the nation in on-base percentage (.598) and has drawn the fifth-most walks in the country (22) while Steven Meier has scored a Sun Belt-leading 31 runs with a Sun Belt-leading 11 stolen bases out of the leadoff spot.
Troy will keep the same pitching rotation for the fifth consecutive weekend to open the season. Garrett Gainous is 2-0 in four Friday starts this season, while Noah Edders has held opposing hitters to a .211 batting average on Saturdays. Drew Nelson, who ranks sixth in the Sun Belt in ERA (2.08), will top the hill on Sunday after going 6.0 innings with one earned run at USC Upstate last weekend.
Â
Gameday Info
The Matchup: No. 18 Troy (13-4, 0-0 Sun Belt) at Louisiana (8-10, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Game Times: Friday - 6 p.m. | Saturday - 2 p.m. | Sunday - 1 p.m.
Location: Lafayette, La. - M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
ÂProbable Starters
Friday
Troy: Garrett Gainous (18.1 IP, 4.42 ERA), RHP, Sr.
Louisiana: Matthew Holzhammer (10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA), RHP, Sr.
ÂSaturday
Troy: Noah Edders (20.0 IP, 4.50 ERA), RHP, Jr.
Louisiana: TBA
ÂSunday
Troy: Drew Nelson (21.2 IP, 2.08 ERA), LHP, Jr.
Louisiana: TBA
ÂQuick Hitters
-
Troy was ranked No. 18 in this week's NCBWA Top 25, which is tied for the highest ranking in Troy's Division I history (2011).Â
-
Troy entered the season ranked No. 25 in the D1Baseball Top 25 and has moved up to No. 21 after four weeks. It's the first time in Troy's Division I history that they entered the season ranked in the Top 25.
-
Leadoff hitter Steven Meier ranks fourth in the nation in runs scored (31) and leads Sun Belt in stolen bases (11). Meier also ranks second in the Sun Belt in hits (26) and HBPs (7) and is fourth in batting average (.419).
-
First baseman Blake Cavill ranks fifth in the nation in walks (22) and 16th in on-base percentage (.598). Cavill also ranks second in the Sun Belt in RBIs (22) and is fifth in batting average (.396).
-
Cavill and Meier have been two of the most valuable players in college baseball, according to Synergy's wins above replacement. Cavill ranks 15th in the nation in WAR (1.69), while Meier ranks 21st (1.62).Â
-
Cavill and Meier have reached base safely in their last 24 games, dating back to last season.Â
-
Brooks Bryan leads the Sun Belt and ranks 14th nationally in RBIs (28). Bryan's run-producing ability comes as no surprise, as he set the Troy record with 85 RBIs last season. This season, Bryan is batting .419 with runners in scoring position.Â
-
Troy will keep the same pitching rotation for the fifth straight week. It's the first time they've gone five weeks without a change to the rotation since Brady Fuller, Zach Fruit and Grayson Stewart started the first six weekends of the 2023 season.Â
-
Garrett Gainous and Grayson Stewart are climbing the Troy all-time leaderboards in wins and strikeouts. Gainous ranks tenth in wins (18) and fifth in strikeouts (226), while Stewart is tied for eighth in wins (20) and ranks seventh in strikeouts (221).
-
Drew Nelson has a 2.08 ERA through four starts this season, ranking sixth in the Sun Belt Conference.Â
Scouting Louisiana
-
The Ragin Cajuns enter the weekend with an 8-10 record. Louisiana has played the No. 25 strength of schedule according to WarrenNolan.com, and owns a series win over No. 23 Nebraska.
-
Louisiana is hitting .246 as a team and has hit 13 home runs, scoring 5.3 runs per game. Right fielder Brooks Wright leads the way with a .308 batting average, while left fielder Conor Higgs has hit four home runs.
-
Louisiana leads off of college baseball with 21 sacrifice bunts this season and leads the Sun Belt with 32 stolen bases.
-
On the mound, the Cajuns are pitching to a 5.47 ERA with 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings.Â
-
Friday night starter Matthew Holzhammer has made seven appearances with one start this season. In 10.0 innings, the righty has racked up ten strikeouts while allowing seven hits, three walks and five earned runs.Â
Series History
-
Troy owns a 28-38 all-time record against Louisiana.
-
The Trojans have won each of their last three series against Louisiana, which includes a three-game sweep in 2022.
-
Last season, Troy took the series from No. 18 Louisiana 2-1. The Trojans won 16-5 in Game 1 and Game 2 8-4 before falling 14-13 in Game 3.
