Troy Tops Rutgers in 2-1 Pitcher’s Duel with Ninth-Inning Rally

Sunday, March 1

Greenville, N.C.

10 a.m.

Troy University

5-6

Rutgers

5-5

Troy

Rutgers

Troy Tops Rutgers in 2-1 Pitcher’s Duel with Ninth-Inning Rally

3/1/2026 2:13:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

GREENVILLE, N.C. - A ninth-inning, two-out rally capped off by a pinch-hit RBI single from Nico Azpilcueta was the difference as Troy topped Rutgers in a 2-1 pitchers duel to close out the Keith LeClair Classic.

Rutgers (5-5) had just pulled even in the bottom of the eighth after Troy (5-6) left-hander Benjamin Stubbs silenced the Scarlet Knights for seven innings, allowing just two third-inning hits while striking out four. Dylan Alonso relieved Stubbs after a leadoff walk to Tristan Salinas, and the Scarlet Knights put the run across without a hit, moving Salinas on a sac bunt and a grounder to first base before he scored on a wild pitch.

Troy shortstop Nolan Book started the ninth-inning rally with a two-out walk, and DH Gavin Schrader moved him to third with a base knock to right field. Azpilcueta pinch-hit for freshman catcher Caden Reeves, and he delivered a single into right field on a 3-2 count to drive in the winning run.

Jimmy Janicki, playing right field for the second time this season, started the scoring with a 401-foot solo homer in the top of the first, the only run that Rutgers freshman Chris Sand allowed in three innings. Lefty Joe Mozza held the Trojans to one hit in four innings of relief, while righty Vincent Borghese surrendered three hits and the winning run while pitching the eighth and ninth.

Rutgers threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as centerfielder Peyton Bonds doubled on a chopper over first baseman Blake Cavill's head with one out, but Alonso got two-hole hitter Yomar Carreras to groundout to second and three-hole hitter Trey Wells to lineout to right field to end the ballgame.

Notables

Troy went the entirety of the Keith LeClair Classic without committing an error. It's the first time they've played errorless defense in a three-game series since they swept Harvard Feb. 23-25, 2024.
Troy's pitching staff allowed just three hits, the fewest they've allowed this season. The Trojans held their opponents to three hits just once last season in a 9-4 win over Texas State.
Troy's offense struck out just twice, its fewest this season.
Troy is 5-1 when scoring first and 2-0 when scoring in the first inning.
Troy is 5-1 in games that they homer in.
Troy is 4-0 when outhitting its opponent.
Troy is 79-26 under Skylar Meade when its starting pitcher goes at least five innings.
Benjamin Stubbs pitched 7+ innings, the longest start by a Trojan this season. Stubbs also matched his career high in innings pitched.
Dylan Alonso picked up the win. He leads the team in both wins (2) and saves (2).
Jimmy Janicki launched his third homer of the season, which is a new career high. He hit two as a freshman last season.
Janicki went 2-for-4, picking up his team-high sixth multi-hit game of the season.

Quotables
Head Coach Skylar Meade
"This is a perfect way to win this game. I really mean this. It's better than a 9-1 game that doesn't test you. It tests every part of you, and I think we need that. When you get used to and acclimated to that, you're going to be the best team that you can be."

Left-hander pitcher Benjamin Stubbs
"It was all just going and attacking the hitters. They said if you get them in plus counts - for the hitter - they're going to try to lift the ball. My goal was to get them to ground out early, and just trust my offense and defense enough to where I can keep getting ground balls and they can keep making plays."

Outfielder Nico Azpilcueta
"That guy [Borghese] was throwing a lot of cutters and breaking balls. Usually, the game plan for opposing teams is to try to spin you - get you to be overly aggressive. I was able to take a couple of pitches….

"I was able to get that 3-2 pitch out over the plate and drive it the other way."

Next Up
Troy makes its third consecutive SEC midweek trip to Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday.