Troy Welcomes No. 17 Alabama for Midweek Showdown

Tuesday, May 5

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

Alabama

Buy Tickets

Troy Welcomes No. 17 Alabama for Midweek Showdown

5/4/2026 3:00:00 PM | Baseball

Live Stats ESPN+Listen Live

By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. - Troy Baseball's final homestand continues on Tuesday with a highly anticipated matchup against No. 17 Alabama at Riddle-Pace Field.

The Trojans faced the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa earlier this season, falling 7-3 on March 10. In the game, Troy catcher Jimmy Janicki homered while the Troy pitching staff used eight different arms, highlighted by 3.1 scoreless innings of relief from lefty Hayden Smith.

Over the weekend, Troy dropped its first series in over a month against App State. The Mountaineers swept a doubleheader on Saturday before the Trojans took the finale 10-3 on Sunday behind 4.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen from Drew Nelson, a three-RBI day from first baseman Blake Cavill and a homer and four RBIs from Janicki.

Tuesday's game will be Troy's sixth matchup against an SEC team this season, which includes a 6-5 win at No. 8 Georgia on February 25. Troy currently owns the No. 6 non-conference strength of schedule in the country.

On the mound, junior right-hander Cooper Ellingworth makes his first start as a Trojan, having led the team with 21 appearances out of the bullpen. In 36.1 innings, Ellingworth has fanned 37 hitters to 15 walks with a 5.20 ERA. Last week, the USC Upstate transfer tossed three scoreless innings of relief to earn the save in Troy's 1-0 victory over Marshall.

The No. 17 Crimson Tide enter midweek action as the No. 5 team in the NCAA RPI following their weekend sweep over Vanderbilt. Brady Neal has been the team's most consistent hitter with a .346 average and 1.032 OPS, while shortstop Justin Lebron, a projected top ten draft pick by MLB.com, is hitting .266 with team highs in homers (12) and stolen bases (36).

Alabama will turn to senior righty JT Blackwood on the mound, who will make his seventh start of the spring. On the season, he's pitched 26.1 innings in nine appearances, totaling a 4.44 ERA, 13 strikeouts and seven walks. Blackwood started both games between Troy and Alabama during the 2025 season, pitching four innings with five hits and one run in Tuscaloosa before tossing three scoreless innings with two hits and two strikeouts at Riddle-Pace Field last May.

Game Information
The Matchup: Troy (23-25, 13-11 Sun Belt) vs. No. 17 Alabama (32-16, 13-11 SEC)
Gametime: Tuesday, May 5 - 6 p.m.
Location: Troy, Ala. - Riddle-Pace Field
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyTrojans.com/LiveStats

On the Mound
Alabama: Sr. RHP JT Blackwood (1-1, 26.1 IP, 4.44 ERA)
Troy: Jr. RHP Cooper Ellingworth (1-3, 36.1 IP, 5.20 ERA)

Elite Company
Jimmy Janicki enters midweek action on a career-high 14-game hitting streak. During that stretch, the sophomore catcher is hitting .443 with eight doubles, seven homers, and 26 RBIs.

On the season, Janicki has totaled 18 doubles, 15 homers and 65 RBIs. His 15 homers are tied with Southern Miss' Kyle Morrison for the Sun Belt lead, while his 65 RBIs lead the conference and are ninth nationally. Janicki is one of two players in all of college baseball - along with Arizona State outfielder Landon Hairston - with 18+ doubles, 15+ homers and 60+ RBIs.

Pack the Pace
Tuesday's game marks the third consecutive season that Alabama has made the trip down to Troy. Troy set a Riddle-Pace Field attendance record in 2024 (3,872) before breaking that record last season (3,892).

Series History
Alabama leads the all-time series with Troy 33-12 as the Trojans look to pick up their first win over the Crimson Tide since an 8-4 victory in Tuscaloosa in 2019.