Troy University Athletics
Friday, May 2
Mobile, Ala.
5 p.m.
Troy University
at
South Alabama
No. 15 Troy Heads to Rival South Alabama for Three-Game Set
5/1/2025 4:37:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - No. 15 Troy hits the road this weekend for a three-game Sun Belt series at in-state rival South Alabama in Mobile, Ala.
The Trojans won their eleventh consecutive series over Texas State over the weekend before run-ruling Jacksonville State 12-10 on Tuesday. First baseman Blake Cavill, who sits on a 50-game on-base streak dating back to 2024, homered twice in the Texas State series while outfielder Dillon Kuehl homered and scored on the game-ending wild pitch against Jax State.
Cavill took home Sun Belt Player of the Week on Tuesday after his monster four game-stretch, batting .429 on the week with 1.579 OPS, a triple, two home runs and five RBIs last week. Cavill was one of Troy's hottest hitters in April, leading the team with six home runs on the month.
In the leadoff spot, freshman Houston Markham has done an excellent job setting the table for the Trojan offense. The Pike Road, Ala., product is batting .405 in nine games as Troy's leadoff hitter this season, and led the Trojans with a .375 batting average in April. Markham enters the weekend on a 12-game hitting streak, the longest by a Trojan this season, and has multiple hits in four of his last six games.Â
On the mound, freshman Noah Thigpen will make his second weekend start after a strong performance against Texas State last week. The righty from Lake Park, Ga., pitched 5.0 innings of one-run ball with four hits and a pair of strikeouts. Junior righty Noah Edders, who ranks fifth in the Sun Belt with 61 strikeouts, will take the mound on Saturday. Head coach Skylar Meade has not announced a starter for Sunday's series finale.
Gameday Info
The Matchup: No. 15 Troy (32-13, 14-7 Sun Belt) at South Alabama (18-24, 7-14 Sun Belt)
Game Times: Friday - 5 p.m. | Saturday - 2 p.m. | Sunday - 1 p.m.
Location: Mobile, Ala. - Stanky Field
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Probable Starters
Game 1
Troy: Noah Thigpen (1-1, 3.07 ERA, 29.1 IP), RHP, Fr.
South Alabama: Jaxon Shineflew (3-3, 4.85 ERA, 42.2 IP), LHP, So.
Game 2
Troy: Noah Edders (5-0, 4.10 ERA, 59.1 IP), RHP, Sr.
South Alabama: Mitchell Heer (5-2. 4.03 ERA, 44.2 IP), RHP, Sr.
Game 3
Troy: TBA
South Alabama: Zach Willingham (3-5, 3.49 ERA, 56.2 IP), LHP, Gr.
Quick Hitters
Scouting South Alabama
Series History
The Trojans won their eleventh consecutive series over Texas State over the weekend before run-ruling Jacksonville State 12-10 on Tuesday. First baseman Blake Cavill, who sits on a 50-game on-base streak dating back to 2024, homered twice in the Texas State series while outfielder Dillon Kuehl homered and scored on the game-ending wild pitch against Jax State.
Cavill took home Sun Belt Player of the Week on Tuesday after his monster four game-stretch, batting .429 on the week with 1.579 OPS, a triple, two home runs and five RBIs last week. Cavill was one of Troy's hottest hitters in April, leading the team with six home runs on the month.
In the leadoff spot, freshman Houston Markham has done an excellent job setting the table for the Trojan offense. The Pike Road, Ala., product is batting .405 in nine games as Troy's leadoff hitter this season, and led the Trojans with a .375 batting average in April. Markham enters the weekend on a 12-game hitting streak, the longest by a Trojan this season, and has multiple hits in four of his last six games.Â
On the mound, freshman Noah Thigpen will make his second weekend start after a strong performance against Texas State last week. The righty from Lake Park, Ga., pitched 5.0 innings of one-run ball with four hits and a pair of strikeouts. Junior righty Noah Edders, who ranks fifth in the Sun Belt with 61 strikeouts, will take the mound on Saturday. Head coach Skylar Meade has not announced a starter for Sunday's series finale.
Gameday Info
The Matchup: No. 15 Troy (32-13, 14-7 Sun Belt) at South Alabama (18-24, 7-14 Sun Belt)
Game Times: Friday - 5 p.m. | Saturday - 2 p.m. | Sunday - 1 p.m.
Location: Mobile, Ala. - Stanky Field
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Media Network
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
Probable Starters
Game 1
Troy: Noah Thigpen (1-1, 3.07 ERA, 29.1 IP), RHP, Fr.
South Alabama: Jaxon Shineflew (3-3, 4.85 ERA, 42.2 IP), LHP, So.
Game 2
Troy: Noah Edders (5-0, 4.10 ERA, 59.1 IP), RHP, Sr.
South Alabama: Mitchell Heer (5-2. 4.03 ERA, 44.2 IP), RHP, Sr.
Game 3
Troy: TBA
South Alabama: Zach Willingham (3-5, 3.49 ERA, 56.2 IP), LHP, Gr.
Quick Hitters
- Troy was ranked No. 15 in the Baseball America Top 25 for a second consecutive week, which is the highest national ranking in Troy's history as a Division I program.Â
- Troy is one of two teams in college baseball, along with No. 1 Texas, to win all eleven weekend series this season.Â
- The Troy offense leads the Sun Belt in on-base percentage (.416) and runs per game (7.6).Â
- Blake Cavill was named the Week 11 Sun Belt Player of the Week. Cavill joins Shane Lewis (Week 1), Sean Darnell (Week 2) and Gavin Schrader (Week 5) as Troy's fourth SBC Player of the Week this season.
- Troy has three of the top eleven OPS leaders in the Sun Belt in Blake Cavill (5th - 1.116), Steven Meier (9th - 1.041) and Gavin Schrader (11th - 1.036).
- Troy has three of the top ten RBI leaders in the Sun Belt in Brooks Bryan (T-2nd - 49), Blake Cavill (T-5th - 43) and Sean Darnell (T-9th - 40).
- Troy freshman Houston Markham is batting .405 in nine games as the Trojans' leadoff hitter this season.
- Blake Cavill is on a 50-game on-base streak and Steven Meier is on a 49-game on-base streak, both dating back to last season. They're the longest on-base streaks by a Trojan since Logan Pierce (47) in 2012-13.Â
- Cavill ranks sixth nationally in walks (49) and 13th in on-base percentage (.529). He's drawing a walk in 23.8% of his plate appearances. His 49 walks this season are tied for the fifth-most in a single season in Troy history with Ethan Kavanagh (2024).
- Meier leads the Sun Belt and ranks tenth nationally in HBPs (21), which is the third-most in a single season in Troy history. Meier also ranks second in the conference in stolen bases (19) and runs scored (50).Â
Scouting South Alabama
- South Alabama enters the weekend with an 18-24 record under 14th-year head coach Mark Calvi. The Jaguars are tied with ULM for 12th place in the Sun Belt standings at 7-14.
- The South Alabama pitching staff ranks seventh in the Sun Belt Conference with a 5.17 team ERA. The Jaguars rank sixth in the Sun Belt in hits per nine innings (8.84), 10th in walks per nine innings (4.85) and 12th in strikeouts per nine innings (7.6).Â
- Friday starter Jaxon Shineflew ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in hits allowed per nine innings (6.75). The sophomore lefty has a 4.85 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched with 46 strikeouts and 24 walks
- Saturday starter Mitchell Heer ranks second in the Sun Belt in walks allowed per nine innings (3.43) and 11th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.43). The senior righty has a 4.03 ERA in 44.2 innings pitched with 24 strikeouts, seven walks and a .261 opponent batting average.Â
- Sunday starter Zach Willingham ranks 12th in the Sun Belt in ERA (3.49). In 56.2 innings pitched, the graduate lefty has 41 strikeouts, 31 walks and a .241 opponent batting average.
- The South Alabama offense ranks fourth in the Sun Belt with a .275 team batting average. The Jaguars rank eighth in home runs (37) and seventh in runs per game (6.0).Â
- The Jaguars have five regulars in their lineup batting above .300 in Duncan Matthews (.347), Rett Johnson (.331), Lucas Ismaili (.316), Kyle Morrison (.312) and John Smith III (.311).
- Morrison leads the team with eight home runs and 39 RBIs.
- Matthews ranks second in the Sun Belt in on-base percentage (.511).
Series History
- Troy owns a 45-57 all-time record against South Alabama.
- South Alabama has won each of the previous four series. The Trojans' last series win came in Mobile in 2019.
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballStuart Gore Postgame - James Madison
Sunday, September 28
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference - Georgia Tech Fall Ball
Saturday, September 27
Behind The Wall - S10, E4
Thursday, September 25
Gerad Parker - SBC Media Zoom
Monday, September 22