Troy Falls to Western Carolina in LeClair Classic Opener

Friday, February 27

Greenville, N.C.

2 p.m.

Troy University

4-4

Western Carolina

6-2

Western Carolina

Troy

Troy Falls to Western Carolina in LeClair Classic Opener

2/27/2026 6:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

GREENVILLE, N.C. - A go-ahead ninth-inning home run from Western Carolina's Walker Fox was the difference as Troy fell 4-3 to the Catamounts at Clark-LeClair Stadium

Junior right-hander Cooper Ellingworth was one out away from sending it to the bottom of the ninth after he entered in the eighth and retired five straight hitters, but Fox hammered a fastball over the right field wall to put WCU (7-2) ahead. Lefty Owen Austin got the save, putting the Trojans (4-5) down 1-2-3 in the ninth.

It was Fox's second home run of the game, the first being a two-run inside-the-parker in the top of the fifth. WCU centerfielder Jaylen Jones led off with a double into right center, which saw Troy centerfielder Steven Meier get injured on the play. Fox's base hit into center took a bad hop past the new Troy centerfielder, Houston Markham, and rolled to the wall to put the Catamounts ahead 3-1.

It spoiled what had otherwise been a strong outing for Troy starter Tommy Egan, who struck out five and walked just one over 5.0 innings. His lone run prior to the late damage came in the third inning, when the Catamounts pieced together three two-out singles to push across the game's first run. Freshman Jackson Lucas followed in relief and kept Troy within striking distance, tossing scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh while recording a season-high three strikeouts.

Troy scored three runs against Western Carolina lefty Davis Wright on six hits. In the third, Blake Cavill drew an HBP, moved to second on a balk and scored on a Meier single. Troy evened the score in the fourth on a Gavin Schrader RBI single and an Aaron Piasecki sac fly.

The Trojans went hitless against the Catamount bullpen, however, as righty Mason Snyder struck out four in 4.0 innings before Austin's 1-2-3 ninth.

Notables

Troy's pitching staff struck out 11 hitters. They've struck out 10+ hitters in six-of-nine games this season.
The Troy pitching staff walked just one hitter, the fewest they've surrendered this season.
The seven hits Troy allowed were tied for the second-fewest they've allowed this season, and the fewest they've allowed when pitching a full nine innings.
Freshman Jackson Lucas pitched a season-high 2.0 innings out of the bullpen, striking out a season-high three hitters.
Gavin Schrader went 2-for-3 with an RBI, his first multi-hit game of the season.

Quotable - Head Coach Skylar Meade
"The way it happened just leaves so much irritation to you, because it shouldn't have happened in that way. You're looking at - a little mental math - 75% strikes in the game. Only two walks the entire game [between both teams]. Not many strikeouts for them, plenty for us, but they had the one pivotal great swing that changed the game and we just unfortunately didn't get that today."

Next Up
The Trojans face host East Carolina on Day Two of the Keith LeClair Classic. Sophomore righty Noah Thigpen takes the mound for Troy, while senior right-hander Gavin Van Kempen will get the ball for the Pirates.