Troy University Athletics
Troy Hosts South Alabama for Final Home Series
5/7/2026 12:27:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - Troy Baseball is set for one final home series at Riddle-Pace Field as the Trojans host South Alabama Friday through Sunday.
The Trojans enter the weekend in fifth place in the Sun Belt standings at 13-11 with two conference weekends remaining and a chance to climb. The Jaguars sit one game ahead of Troy at 14-10 and in fourth place.
Troy is coming off a 6-1 win over No. 17 Alabama on Tuesday in front of a record 3,982 fans at Riddle-Pace Field. The Trojans had just one hit through six frames before exploding for three runs apiece in the seventh and eighth innings, including Aaron Piasecki's go-ahead, two-run double to give Troy the momentum.
On the mound, Troy perfectly executed a bullpen day against Alabama, using five different arms - Cooper Ellingworth, Zach Crotchfelt, Dylan Alonso, Matt Dill, and Noah Thigpen - to limit the Tide to one run on four hits while striking out 11 to one walk. Dill earned the win, pitching one clean inning after taking over with one out in the seventh, while Thigpen retired the final five Alabama hitters with a pair of strikeouts to notch his first save of the season.
Entering the weekend, the Trojans will keep the same weekend trio for the third consecutive week. Friday night workhorse Benjamin Stubbs has gone at least six innings in seven of his 12 starts this season, while game two starter Tommy Egan enters the weekend with 78 strikeouts, the fourth-most in the Sun Belt. Hayden Smith makes his third start of the season in the finale, carrying a 3.03 ERA.
South Alabama will trot out 5th-year right-hander Mitchell Heer in game one. Heer owns a 4.45 ERA and 59 strikeouts to 26 walks in 66.2 innings, and tossed 7.1 innings with three runs against Troy last season.Â
Game two starter Ryland Bozenhard, a right-handed FGCU transfer, enters the weekend with a 6.07 ERA and 33 strikeouts to 24 walks in 46 innings. ULM transfer Daniel Gonzalez will wrap up the weekend carrying a 3.84 ERA and 59 strikeouts to 31 walks in 61 innings. Troy faced the right-hander in a win over the Warhawks last season, scoring five runs and knocking him out of the ballgame before recording an out.
Offensively, Troy and South Alabama are neck-and-neck, with the Trojans hitting .278 with an .827 OPS while the Jaguars are hitting .283 with an .821 OPS. Brennon Wright (.346) and Stewart Puckett (.315) are the Jaguars' top two hitters, while Blake Guerin is hitting .266 with a team-high 14 homers, which ranks third in the Sun Belt.
Series Information
The Matchup: Troy (24-25, 13-11 Sun Belt) vs. South Alabama (30-18, 14-10 Sun Belt)
Game Times: Friday - 6 p.m. | Saturday - 3:33 p.m. | Sunday - 1 p.m.Â
Location: Troy, Ala. - Riddle-Pace Field
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyTrojans.com/LiveStats
On the Mound
Game 1
South Alabama: 5th Yr. RHP Mitchell Heer (4-2, 66.2 IP, 4.45 ERA)
Troy: Sr. LHP Benjamin Stubbs (3-2, 64.1 IP, 4.62 ERA)
Game 2
South Alabama: Jr. RHP Rylan Bozenhard (2-2, 46.0 IP, 6.07 ERA)
Troy: Sr. RHP Tommy Egan (5-3, 64.1 IP, 4.34 ERA)
Game 3
South Alabama: Jr. RHP Daniel Gonzalez (4-2, 61.0 IP, 3.84 ERA)
Troy: Jr. LHP Hayden Smith (2-0, 29.2 IP, 3.03 ERA)
Making a StatementÂ
Troy's win over No. 17 Alabama on Tuesday was its first over the Crimson Tide since 2019. Troy also defeated No. 8 Georgia on February 25, giving them wins over two SEC foes for the first time since 2017, when the Trojans defeated both Alabama and Auburn.
Taking a Step Up
Troy's offense has been among the best in the Sun Belt Conference during league play. Against SBC competition, the Trojans rank second in average (.298), slugging (.493), doubles (53) and home runs (33) while ranking third in scoring (6.9) and OBP (.395).
The Friendly ConfinesÂ
Riddle-Pace Field has been friendly to Troy leadoff man Aaron Piasecki. The right fielder has posted a .422 AVG / .547 OBP / .687 SLG at home this season. Nine of Piasecki's 12 doubles have come at home, which includes his go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning of Troy's 6-1 win over No. 17 Alabama on Tuesday.
Elite CompanyÂ
Jimmy Janicki enters the weekend on a career-high 15-game hitting streak. During that stretch, the sophomore catcher is hitting .431 with nine doubles, seven homers and 26 RBIs. Janicki's hitting streak is the second-longest active streak in the Sun Belt behind Georgia Southern's Brady Christman at 19 games.
On the season, Janicki has totaled 19 doubles, 15 homers and 65 RBIs. He's one of two players in all of college baseball - along with Landon Hairston (Arizona State) - with 18+ doubles, 15+ homers and 60+ RBIs. Â
Series History
South Alabama leads the all-time series with Troy 58-47, while the Trojans lead the series 26-19 when played at Riddle-Pace Field. Troy won last year's series in Mobile 2-1, splitting the first two games before taking the rubber match behind Sean Darnell's go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth inning.
The Trojans enter the weekend in fifth place in the Sun Belt standings at 13-11 with two conference weekends remaining and a chance to climb. The Jaguars sit one game ahead of Troy at 14-10 and in fourth place.
Troy is coming off a 6-1 win over No. 17 Alabama on Tuesday in front of a record 3,982 fans at Riddle-Pace Field. The Trojans had just one hit through six frames before exploding for three runs apiece in the seventh and eighth innings, including Aaron Piasecki's go-ahead, two-run double to give Troy the momentum.
On the mound, Troy perfectly executed a bullpen day against Alabama, using five different arms - Cooper Ellingworth, Zach Crotchfelt, Dylan Alonso, Matt Dill, and Noah Thigpen - to limit the Tide to one run on four hits while striking out 11 to one walk. Dill earned the win, pitching one clean inning after taking over with one out in the seventh, while Thigpen retired the final five Alabama hitters with a pair of strikeouts to notch his first save of the season.
Entering the weekend, the Trojans will keep the same weekend trio for the third consecutive week. Friday night workhorse Benjamin Stubbs has gone at least six innings in seven of his 12 starts this season, while game two starter Tommy Egan enters the weekend with 78 strikeouts, the fourth-most in the Sun Belt. Hayden Smith makes his third start of the season in the finale, carrying a 3.03 ERA.
South Alabama will trot out 5th-year right-hander Mitchell Heer in game one. Heer owns a 4.45 ERA and 59 strikeouts to 26 walks in 66.2 innings, and tossed 7.1 innings with three runs against Troy last season.Â
Game two starter Ryland Bozenhard, a right-handed FGCU transfer, enters the weekend with a 6.07 ERA and 33 strikeouts to 24 walks in 46 innings. ULM transfer Daniel Gonzalez will wrap up the weekend carrying a 3.84 ERA and 59 strikeouts to 31 walks in 61 innings. Troy faced the right-hander in a win over the Warhawks last season, scoring five runs and knocking him out of the ballgame before recording an out.
Offensively, Troy and South Alabama are neck-and-neck, with the Trojans hitting .278 with an .827 OPS while the Jaguars are hitting .283 with an .821 OPS. Brennon Wright (.346) and Stewart Puckett (.315) are the Jaguars' top two hitters, while Blake Guerin is hitting .266 with a team-high 14 homers, which ranks third in the Sun Belt.
Series Information
The Matchup: Troy (24-25, 13-11 Sun Belt) vs. South Alabama (30-18, 14-10 Sun Belt)
Game Times: Friday - 6 p.m. | Saturday - 3:33 p.m. | Sunday - 1 p.m.Â
Location: Troy, Ala. - Riddle-Pace Field
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Troy Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: TroyTrojans.com/LiveStats
On the Mound
Game 1
South Alabama: 5th Yr. RHP Mitchell Heer (4-2, 66.2 IP, 4.45 ERA)
Troy: Sr. LHP Benjamin Stubbs (3-2, 64.1 IP, 4.62 ERA)
Game 2
South Alabama: Jr. RHP Rylan Bozenhard (2-2, 46.0 IP, 6.07 ERA)
Troy: Sr. RHP Tommy Egan (5-3, 64.1 IP, 4.34 ERA)
Game 3
South Alabama: Jr. RHP Daniel Gonzalez (4-2, 61.0 IP, 3.84 ERA)
Troy: Jr. LHP Hayden Smith (2-0, 29.2 IP, 3.03 ERA)
Making a StatementÂ
Troy's win over No. 17 Alabama on Tuesday was its first over the Crimson Tide since 2019. Troy also defeated No. 8 Georgia on February 25, giving them wins over two SEC foes for the first time since 2017, when the Trojans defeated both Alabama and Auburn.
Taking a Step Up
Troy's offense has been among the best in the Sun Belt Conference during league play. Against SBC competition, the Trojans rank second in average (.298), slugging (.493), doubles (53) and home runs (33) while ranking third in scoring (6.9) and OBP (.395).
The Friendly ConfinesÂ
Riddle-Pace Field has been friendly to Troy leadoff man Aaron Piasecki. The right fielder has posted a .422 AVG / .547 OBP / .687 SLG at home this season. Nine of Piasecki's 12 doubles have come at home, which includes his go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning of Troy's 6-1 win over No. 17 Alabama on Tuesday.
Elite CompanyÂ
Jimmy Janicki enters the weekend on a career-high 15-game hitting streak. During that stretch, the sophomore catcher is hitting .431 with nine doubles, seven homers and 26 RBIs. Janicki's hitting streak is the second-longest active streak in the Sun Belt behind Georgia Southern's Brady Christman at 19 games.
On the season, Janicki has totaled 19 doubles, 15 homers and 65 RBIs. He's one of two players in all of college baseball - along with Landon Hairston (Arizona State) - with 18+ doubles, 15+ homers and 60+ RBIs. Â
Series History
South Alabama leads the all-time series with Troy 58-47, while the Trojans lead the series 26-19 when played at Riddle-Pace Field. Troy won last year's series in Mobile 2-1, splitting the first two games before taking the rubber match behind Sean Darnell's go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth inning.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballTroy vs. No. 17 Alabama (Full Highlights)
Wednesday, May 06
Skylar Meade, Steven Meier & Noah Thigpen Postgame - Alabama
Tuesday, May 05
Skylar Meade, Drew Nelson & Jimmy Janicki Postgame - App State Game 3
Sunday, May 03
Skylar Meade Postgame - App State Doubleheader
Saturday, May 02