Bryan's Two Homers Lead No. 14 Troy Past Samford in Final Midweek Game

Wednesday, May 7

Birmingham, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

35-15

Samford

24-23

Troy

Samford

Bryan's Two Homers Lead No. 14 Troy Past Samford in Final Midweek Game

5/7/2025 10:52:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

HOMEWOOD, Ala. - An electric night from the Troy offense sparked by Brooks Bryan's two home runs led the No. 14 Trojans to a 12-8 win over Samford in their final midweek game of the season at Joe Lee Griffin Field.

Troy out-hit the Bulldogs 12-9 and responded to a Samford run in the bottom of the first with a five spot in the second to knock Samford starter Heath Clevenger out of the game. Bryan went 3-for-3 with a triple, two home runs, a pair of walks and three RBIs, leading off the second a three-bagger off the centerfield wall. Blake Cavill also blasted his tenth homer of the season in the frame, and the senior first baseman went 3-for-6 with two RBIs on the night.

Bryan crushed a solo home run in the fifth and drove in two with a 437-foot moonshot over the right-center wall in the seventh. It was the first multi-home run game of Bryan's career, who now sits ninth in Troy history with 32 career homers.

On the mound, Grayson Stewart pitched 4.0 innings for the Trojans with five hits, four runs, three earned runs, no walks and four strikeouts. After a leadoff home run by Samford centerfielder Michael Gupton in the fifth, Troy turned to lefty Grady Gorgen against a Bulldog lineup with seven righties and a switch hitter.

Samford's platoon advantage didn't matter, with Gorgen holding the Bulldogs hitless with zero walks and two HBPs over 3.0 innings of work, tying his career high in innings pitched. Gorgen allowed an HBP to open the eighth inning and was charged with an earned run when third baseman Gatlin Pitts homered off Colby Frieda. The powerful right-hander Frieda pitched the final 2.0 innings for the Trojans, striking out two while allowing four hits and three earned runs.

Shortstop Peyton Watts went 3-for-5 on the night, coming through with an RBI double in the seventh and an RBI single in the ninth. Troy took advantage of two walks and two HBPs in that ninth inning, as Dillon Kuehl and Houston Markham each added sacrifice flies.

Troy moves to 35-15 on the season with a 15-9 record on the road.

Quick Hitters

Troy is 15-9 in road games this season.
Troy went 19-7 in non-conference games this season
Troy went 8-6 in midweek games this season.
Troy is 27-4 when hitting a home run and 14-1 when hitting multiple home runs.
Troy used its 41st different lineup this season.
Steven Meier recorded his 22nd HBP of the season, which leads the Sun Belt and is the third-most in a single season in Troy history.
Meier recorded his 21st stolen base of the season, which ranks second in the Sun Belt.
Houston Markham extended his on-base streak to 18 games, going 1-for-5 with a sac fly and an RBI.
Blake Cavill extended his on-base streak to 55 games dating back to last season, going 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBIs.
Cavill recorded his 15th multi-hit, seventh three-plus hit and 13th multi-RBI game of the season.
Cavill's two-run home run in the second inning was his tenth of the season.
Sean Darnell extended his on-base streak to six games, drawing an HBP.
Brooks Bryan had the first multi-home run game of his career, hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning and a two-run home run in the seventh inning.
Bryan's 32 career home runs rank ninth in Troy history.
Bryan hit his second triple of the season and fourth of his career in the second inning.
Bryan recorded his 14th multi-hit, fifth three-hit and team-best 16th multi-RBI game of the season.
Dillon Kuehl extended his on-base streak to five games, going 1-for-2 with a sac fly, two walks and an RBI.
Kuehl's two walks tied his career high. He also walked twice against South Alabama on May 3.
Peyton Watts recorded his fourth multi-hit, second three-hit and first multi RBI game of the season, going 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.
Grayson Stewart recorded four strikeouts in his 4.0 innings pitched. His 239 strikeouts rank fifth in Troy history.
Grady Gorgen pitched 3.0 hitless innings, which ties his career high in innings pitched. He also went 3.0 innings at UCF on March 10, 2023.

Quotables
Head coach Skylar Meade on the offense…
"I just thought it was tremendous focus one through nine. I can look at the box score, and I still probably can't remember each thing that went on for every person. I just thought they were all really good. Someone was good early in the game, someone was good in the back of the game."

Brooks Bryan on his performance…
"I just made a few adjustments. Obviously anyone that follows Troy baseball knows I've been struggling a little. Just getting my pitches in my zones and taking my walks is a big thing for me. Not chasing pitches, and I was obviously seeing the pitches well. Hammering the pitches I needed to hammer and taking the pitches I needed to take."

Next Up
Troy heads to Jonesboro, Ark., for its final road trip of the regular season at Arkansas State Friday-Sunday.