Troy Drops Sun Belt Opener to Old Dominion

Friday, March 13

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

6-11

Old Dominion

9-7

Old Dominion

Troy

Troy Drops Sun Belt Opener to Old Dominion

3/13/2026 10:34:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. - Troy Baseball fell to Old Dominion 10-8 in Friday night's Sun Belt Conference opener.

The Trojans (6-11, 0-1 SBC) got off to a hot start in the bottom of the first when catcher Jimmy Janicki launched a three-run homer off righty Patrick Johnson. It was the first batter that Johnson had faced, as starter Ryan Sheehy exited with an injury after facing three hitters.

Troy's lead was short-lived, however, as the Monarchs (9-7, 1-0 SBC) answered with four runs in the top of the second. ODU finished with 13 hits, knocking Troy starter Tommy Egan out before he could record an out in the fourth inning. The Troy right-hander allowed seven earned runs on eight hits while striking out three.

Noah Thigpen relieved Egan, allowing two inherited runners to score in the fourth on a groundout and a sac fly before pitching a clean fifth. However, in the sixth, ODU scored its tenth run of the ballgame after an error and a single led to a three-run homer by DH Tyler Zedalis.

Lefty Brock Tapper kept Troy in the fight with scoreless innings in the final three frames, striking out a career best five hitters. Tapper was one pitch away from an immaculate inning in the seventh, when TJ Aiken took a close 0-2 ball before eventually striking out.

Offensively, third baseman Josh Pyne had a productive day with two doubles and a solo home run in the third inning. Troy loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth and plated two runs on a Steven Meier fielder's choice and a Pyne sacrifice fly. Pyne's second double drove in another run in the eighth, but the rally ended when he was thrown out attempting to stretch the hit into a triple.

In the ninth, Jimmy Janicki cut the lead to 10-8 with his second home run of the ballgame, but it was all the Trojans managed in the final frame as ODU reliever Kellen Davis retired the next two hitters.

Notables

Brock Tapper's five strikeouts were a career high. He had previously struck out four hitters twice in his career, both coming during his freshman season at Mississippi State in 2022.
Steven Meier returned to the lineup after missing seven games due to injury.
Josh Pyne hit two doubles, giving him 64 in his career. He's tied with Missouri State's Taeg Gollert for the most among active Division-I players.
Pyne totaled three RBIs, a season high.
Jimmy Janicki recorded the first two-homer game of his career. He's the first Trojan with a two-homer game since Brooks Bryan at Samford last season on May 7, 2025.
Janicki went 3-for-5, also adding a double. His nine multi-hit games lead the team.
Drew Nelson went 3-for-4 with a double. His six doubles on the season are tied with Pyne for the team, and his three hits on the night matched his career high.

Quotable - Head Coach Skylar Meade
"We fumble it around there in the sixth, and they got the big impactful swing that proves to be pivotal. It was not complimentary baseball. Make pitch, make play, execute. It was just not that; it's not a secret. Tapper was excellent there late. A guy who's bought in and convicted to what he's doing, but we just have to have more of that."

Next Up
Game two between Troy and Old Dominion is slated for 3:33 p.m. Saturday at Riddle-Pace Field. Lefty Benjamin Stubbs will make his fifth start of the season for the Trojans, while the Monarchs will counter with right-hander Darin Kuskie.