Troy University Athletics
Troy University
South Alabama
Troy Opens Sun Belt Tournament with South Alabama
5/19/2026 2:53:00 PM | Baseball
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - No. 4 seed Troy begins its run in the Sun Belt Baseball Championship on Wednesday against No. 5 seed South Alabama.
The Trojans finished the regular season in a three-way tie for third place with App State and South with a 17-13 Sun Belt record. Troy hosted the Jaguars at Riddle-Pace Field two weeks ago, winning the final two games of the series after dropping the Friday opener. In the series, Troy crushed seven homers, tied for its most in a series, while striking out just 15 times, its fewest in a series.Â
Following the conclusion of the regular season, Troy landed three players on the All-Sun Belt Team. Sophomore Jimmy Janicki was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year in addition to being named the First Team catcher, senior Aaron Piasecki was named a First Team outfielder and two-way senior Drew Nelson was a First Team utility selection.
Janicki finished the regular season as the Sun Belt leader in both home runs (17) and RBIs (70), while his 21 doubles were the second-most in the conference and tenth nationally. He was one of two players in the country - along with Arizona State's Landon Hairston - with at least 20 doubles, 15 homers and 70 RBIs.
Headed into the Sun Belt Tournament, Troy will trot out senior right-hander Tommy Egan against South Alabama, who's 86 strikeouts in the regular season were the fourth-most in the Sun Belt. Egan struck out seven Jaguars across 4.2 innings on May 9, limiting South to two runs on four hits.
The Jaguars will turn to ULM transfer Daniel Gonzalez, who has started against the Trojans three times in his career. With the Warhawks, he issued two runs in 3.0 innings in 2024 and five runs before recording an out in 2025. On May 10 with the Jaguars, he went 5.2 innings with five hits, four earned runs, two walks and six strikeouts in an 8-1 Trojan win.Â
Game Information
The Matchup: No. 4 Troy (29-27, 17-13 Sun Belt) vs. No. 5 South Alabama (33-21, 17-13 Sun Belt)
Gametime: Wednesday, May 20 - 7:30 p.m.Â
Location: Montgomery, Ala. - DABOS Park
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyTrojans.com/LiveStats
On the Mound
South Alabama: Jr. RHP Daniel Gonzalez (4-3, 4.05 ERA, 66:34 K:BB)
Troy: Sr. RHP Tommy Egan (5-4, 5.05 ERA, 86:23 K:BB)
Sun Belt Smashing
After a slow start to the season, Preseason SBC Player of the Year Blake Cavill was among the Sun Belt's top hitters in league play. In SBC games, Cavill had the third-highest OPS in the conference (1.092), slashing .339/.459/.633. Eight of Cavill's ten home runs and 31 of his 41 RBIs came during conference play.
Cavill had a historic day at the plate in Troy's regular season finale at ULM, starting the day with an RBI double in the first inning before hitting grand slams in the second and third innings, both with two outs and two strikes. He became the first player in Troy history with two grand slams in a game. His nine RBIs tied the single-game SBC record (13 players tied), and were one shy of the Troy record of ten set by Stacy Gillespie against Stetson in 1999.
Boroff Bashing
Jabe Boroff made his first start since April 4, against South Alabama on May 9, and he's taken advantage of the opportunity in Troy's last six games. In that stretch, his on-base percentage sits at .500. He's totaled three hits, all homers, while drawing nine free passes on six walks and three HBPs.cc
Series History
South Alabama leads the all-time series with Troy 59-49. Troy has won each of its last two series against South Alabama, taking 2-of-3 in Mobile last season behind a go-ahead, ninth-inning grand slam from Sean Darnell in the rubber match before taking 2-of-3 again this season.
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