Troy University Athletics
Friday, February 27
Greenville, N.C.
11 a.m.
Troy University
vs
Western Carolina
Troy Baseball Continues Road Trip at Keith LeClair Classic
2/26/2026 6:23:00 PM | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Troy Baseball continues its road swing this weekend with a trip to Greenville, N.C., for the 23rd annual Keith LeClair Classic, where the Trojans will square off against Western Carolina on Friday, host East Carolina on Saturday and Rutgers on Sunday.
The Trojans are coming off an electric 6-5 win at No. 8 Georgia in 12 innings on Wednesday. Troy's Houston Markham scored the go-ahead wild pitch in the top of the 12th inning, while Trojan relievers Dylan King and Matt Dill stranded multiple base runners in the 9th-11th innings.
Blake Cavill and Drew Nelson each homered in the game, while Nolan Book delivered a 3-run double down the third base line in the eighth inning.
Western Carolina enters the weekend at 6-2 after sweeping George Washington and taking two of three from Bowling Green in its first two series. East Carolina University sits at 4-4-1, most recently going 1-1-1 against a top-10 North Carolina, with Sunday's finale halted by weather in the fifth inning with the score tied. Rutgers comes in at 4-3 after winning three of four at College of Charleston before dropping a series to Virginia Tech.
Series Information
Friday: Troy (4-4, 0-0 Sun Belt) vs. Western Carolina (6-2, 0-0 SoCon) | 11 a.m. CT
Saturday: Troy vs. East Carolina (4-4-1, 0-0 American) | 4:30 p.m. CT
Sunday: Troy vs. Rutgers (4-3, 0-0 Big Ten) | 10 a.m. CT
Location: Greenville, N.C. - Clark-LeClair Stadium
TV: ESPN+ (Saturday only)
Radio: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyTrojans.com/LiveStats
On the Mound
Game 1
Western Carolina: Sr. LHP Davis Wright (0-0, 8.1 IP, 7.56 ERA)
Troy: Sr. RHP Tommy Egan (1-0, 10.0 IP, 1.80 ERA)
Game 2
East Carolina: Sr. RHP Gavin Van Kempen (0-1, 8,1 IP, 3.24 ERA)
Troy: TBA
Game 3
Rutgers: TBA
Troy: Sr. TBA
Seizing the Opportunity
Troy's 12-inning win at No. 8 Georgia on Wednesday was the Trojans' first top ten win since knocking off No. 5 Auburn in 2017, and it was a pair of guys seeing their first extensive action who were the heroes.
Freshman Matt Dill made just his second relief appearance when he entered with a pair of runners on in the tenth inning, and the right-hander went on to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings and earn the first win of his career. Dill stranded both runners in the 10th and escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 11th before putting the Bulldogs down 1-2-3 to close it out in the bottom of the 12th.
Sophomore Nolan Book, a transfer from Mount St. Mary's, made his first start for the Trojans at shortstop against the Bulldogs, and he set the tone defensively by turning two double plays in the first two innings. Book finished 2-for-5 with a walk, which included a clutch bases-clearing double to put Troy ahead 5-3 in the eighth inning.
Nelson's Emergence
Senior Drew Nelson has been one of the biggest surprises to Troy's offensive production this season, as the Troy native is hitting .387 with a team-best four doubles. Nelson's first two college seasons were spent as a pitcher-only at Auburn.Â
He spent a good chunk of his junior season as Troy's Sunday starting pitcher and saw little action on offense, recording eight at-bats on the season. This year, Nelson has started each of Troy's first eight games as a corner outfielder and hit his first career homer in Troy's 6-5 win at #8 Georgia on Wednesday.
Tommy Gun
Senior Tommy Egan has been stellar in Troy's first two Friday games after transferring from UIC. Egan owns a 1.80 ERA and has struck out 15 hitters in 10.0 innings.Â
Both of Egan's runs this season came in the first inning on Opening Day at Mercer. He followed that inning up with four straight zeroes against the Bears before tossing five shutout innings with one hit and a career high nine strikeouts in a win over Campbell last week.
Series History
The Trojans are coming off an electric 6-5 win at No. 8 Georgia in 12 innings on Wednesday. Troy's Houston Markham scored the go-ahead wild pitch in the top of the 12th inning, while Trojan relievers Dylan King and Matt Dill stranded multiple base runners in the 9th-11th innings.
Blake Cavill and Drew Nelson each homered in the game, while Nolan Book delivered a 3-run double down the third base line in the eighth inning.
Western Carolina enters the weekend at 6-2 after sweeping George Washington and taking two of three from Bowling Green in its first two series. East Carolina University sits at 4-4-1, most recently going 1-1-1 against a top-10 North Carolina, with Sunday's finale halted by weather in the fifth inning with the score tied. Rutgers comes in at 4-3 after winning three of four at College of Charleston before dropping a series to Virginia Tech.
Series Information
Friday: Troy (4-4, 0-0 Sun Belt) vs. Western Carolina (6-2, 0-0 SoCon) | 11 a.m. CT
Saturday: Troy vs. East Carolina (4-4-1, 0-0 American) | 4:30 p.m. CT
Sunday: Troy vs. Rutgers (4-3, 0-0 Big Ten) | 10 a.m. CT
Location: Greenville, N.C. - Clark-LeClair Stadium
TV: ESPN+ (Saturday only)
Radio: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyTrojans.com/LiveStats
On the Mound
Game 1
Western Carolina: Sr. LHP Davis Wright (0-0, 8.1 IP, 7.56 ERA)
Troy: Sr. RHP Tommy Egan (1-0, 10.0 IP, 1.80 ERA)
Game 2
East Carolina: Sr. RHP Gavin Van Kempen (0-1, 8,1 IP, 3.24 ERA)
Troy: TBA
Game 3
Rutgers: TBA
Troy: Sr. TBA
Seizing the Opportunity
Troy's 12-inning win at No. 8 Georgia on Wednesday was the Trojans' first top ten win since knocking off No. 5 Auburn in 2017, and it was a pair of guys seeing their first extensive action who were the heroes.
Freshman Matt Dill made just his second relief appearance when he entered with a pair of runners on in the tenth inning, and the right-hander went on to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings and earn the first win of his career. Dill stranded both runners in the 10th and escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 11th before putting the Bulldogs down 1-2-3 to close it out in the bottom of the 12th.
Sophomore Nolan Book, a transfer from Mount St. Mary's, made his first start for the Trojans at shortstop against the Bulldogs, and he set the tone defensively by turning two double plays in the first two innings. Book finished 2-for-5 with a walk, which included a clutch bases-clearing double to put Troy ahead 5-3 in the eighth inning.
Nelson's Emergence
Senior Drew Nelson has been one of the biggest surprises to Troy's offensive production this season, as the Troy native is hitting .387 with a team-best four doubles. Nelson's first two college seasons were spent as a pitcher-only at Auburn.Â
He spent a good chunk of his junior season as Troy's Sunday starting pitcher and saw little action on offense, recording eight at-bats on the season. This year, Nelson has started each of Troy's first eight games as a corner outfielder and hit his first career homer in Troy's 6-5 win at #8 Georgia on Wednesday.
Tommy Gun
Senior Tommy Egan has been stellar in Troy's first two Friday games after transferring from UIC. Egan owns a 1.80 ERA and has struck out 15 hitters in 10.0 innings.Â
Both of Egan's runs this season came in the first inning on Opening Day at Mercer. He followed that inning up with four straight zeroes against the Bears before tossing five shutout innings with one hit and a career high nine strikeouts in a win over Campbell last week.
Series History
- Troy owns a 1-3 all-time record against Western Carolina, with all four meetings occurring during the 1995 season.
- Troy owns a 1-0 record over East Carolina, having defeated the Pirates in a midweek game at home in 2012.
- Sunday's game will be Troy's first-ever meeting with Rutgers.
Players Mentioned
INF
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INF
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RHP
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OF
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LHP/UTL
/ BaseballUnderdogs Untold: Mission Accomplished
Thursday, February 26
Troy at Georgia (Full Highlights)
Thursday, February 26
Skylar Meade, Nolan Book, and Brock Tapper Postgame - Georgia
Wednesday, February 25
Chanda Rigby Postgame Press Conference - Arkansas State
Wednesday, February 25