Troy University Athletics
Johnson's Journal: Pyne's Path from Rehab to Omaha
6/9/2026 10:08:00 AM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - Josh Pyne was perched atop the celebratory dogpile created by the Troy baseball team last Saturday afternoon, his arms outstretched with a king of the hill look after the Trojans earned their first College World Series berth in school history.
"Us infielders kind of met behind the mound like we normally do, and I didn't see the dogpile until I turned around," Pyne said. "I just went and jumped on top of it. Looking up and seeing that many people standing up and cheering for us was surreal."
The record-breaking crowd of 7,033 had just watched Troy put the finishing touches on a 7-2 win over Little Rock to sweep the best-of-three series in the first Super Regional ever held at Riddle-Pace Field on the Trojans' campus.
"I've played a lot of college baseball games … I don't know the exact number … but 1,200 at-bats and this was my first time feeling like that," Pyne said. "It was so spectacular."
Having that kind of opportunity is why Pyne, a third baseman, transferred to Troy for his final season of college baseball eligibility after a standout career playing for his home-state Indiana University.
"I played Troy twice during my career at Indiana, and we couldn't beat them," Pyne said. "We played here in 2022 and Troy came to us in 2024, and we couldn't beat them. You know the phrase, 'If you can't beat them, join them.' And that's what I decided to do."
Putting an injury behind
Pyne was a regular starter at Indiana during his first three college seasons and finished his junior year on a 33-game reaching base streak to go along with hitting safely in 46 of 60 games.
It appeared he was primed for a big senior year in 2025 with the Hoosiers before suffering a back injury in West Virginia while playing in the MLB Draft League, a summer league for draft-eligible college players aiming to improve their stock ahead of the annual MLB Draft each July.
"I herniated my low back disc and that put me down for about nine months," Pyne said. "I had one year of eligibility left and I wanted to play. They (Indiana coaches) ran me out there early in the season and I wasn't moving very well.
"My swing wasn't there and defensively I wasn't moving very well - so I tried to actually pitch. I have a really good arm … it's one of my greatest tools."
As it turns out, Pyne would never pitch in a game for Indiana.
"It was March 7 and we were at Penn State and I tore my UCL (elbow ligament) throwing a bullpen (session)," Pyne said. "So I had a double-whammy. I had a herniated disc and tore my UCL.
"I had three epidurals (medication for pain) put in my back just so I could walk. I ended up going no surgery on my UCL and just did some rehab, because I had time with my back.
"It was a tough year for me. My team is out in UCLA and Oregon playing and I'm sitting back in Bloomington kind of by myself rehabbing. I didn't know if my body was going to let me play again."
Before the arm injury, he had played four games and recorded 10 at-bats. He wouldn't play the rest of the season.
"It was late May last year that I decided I was going to bet on myself and I entered the (transfer) portal," Pyne said. "I didn't want my baseball career to end with that sour feeling in my mouth."
Pyne was granted a medical redshirt due to his injuries.
"I could have returned to Indiana," Pyne said. "They offered me to come back and some different roles and I didn't see it as the best fit for me, so I got in the portal and Troy was one of the first schools to reach out."
Pyne finished his Indiana career ranked fifth in program history for doubles with 58 and 16th in hits with 222.
The perfect landing spot
It didn't take long for Pyne to decide coming south to Troy would be the right move for him after talking to several of the Trojans' assistant coaches - Ryan Fineman and Ben Wolgamot.
"From the first time speaking to them, I knew this is where I needed to be," Pyne said. "Coach Fineman was preaching to me that it's baseball down here and the community gets behind you. It's something growing up I wasn't really used to.
"In Indiana, it was basketball. The fans here have been behind us and always have our back. It's been such an awesome experience."
While Troy has had an up-and-down season, Pyne knew from the get-go the talent level was strong enough to make a run to the World Series if things fell into place down the stretch.
"That's where it was frustrating this season because we weren't piecing it all together," Pyne said. "But everyone in that locker room and everyone associated with this team knew that when we started piecing it together that we are an Omaha team. There was never a doubt in my mind.
"College baseball is so funny. You don't have to be the best baseball team all year; you have to be the best team at the end of May and into June, and that's exactly what we've done.
"It goes through the culture that (head coach) Skylar Meade has built in his five years here and just how he preaches to us, and the mindset he has every single day. It's easy to show up and want to compete and fight for a guy like that."
Reaching a milestone
When Pyne connected for a double in the top of the ninth inning on Saturday against Little Rock, it marked his 300th career hit. He's the only active Division I player who has reached that mark.
"I did know that was coming up just because of how people speak to you and say, 'Hey, you know you're pretty close to that,'" Pyne said. "I remember my 200th hit very well … it was at Ball State a couple of years ago while I was at Indiana.
"We've had ebbs and flows in the season, but there's been ebbs and flows in my career. There's been times that I feel like I can't get out, and times where I feel like I can't get a hit. I've had times like that this season both ways. You've just got to keep going up and grinding."
Pyne has had a productive season at the plate for the Trojans, hitting for a .291 average with 37 RBIs. Like was the case when he was at Indiana, Pyne has been a doubles machine for the Trojans with 23 on the season, which is second on the team behind Jimmy Janicki (24). He's also contributed 10 home runs.
"At Indiana, I wasn't really a homers' guy," Pyne said. "My career high in homers (for a season) before this year was six, and my career high in doubles was 22.
"I have to give a little bit of credit to Coach Wolgamot for giving me the freedom to swing the way I want to swing. To just be free at the plate has been awesome."
On to Omaha
As Pyne and the Trojans head to Omaha, Neb., for Game 1 of the World Series against West Virginia at 1 p.m. on Friday, his parents from Bloomfield, Ind., are expected to be in the stands as usual.
"They don't hardly miss a game," Pyne said. "They missed the Texas State series (this season) and I believe that was it. And when I was at Indiana, they never missed a series. … there was one of them at least at every series.
"I'm so unbelievably thankful for them. Being able to go to Omaha my last year of college baseball is such a special feeling for all that they've done. From 10U travel ball until now, it's been so much money and time that they've invested."
While Pyne knows there may be some nervous energy within the team come game time Friday, he believes having so many veterans on the team will make a difference.
"That's the benefit of having an older team," Pyne said. "Just like the Super Regional, we're going to show up and I'm sure will be a little nervous for that half-inning of the first game, but man, we're going to settle in and compete.
"We're not done. Whatever happens, happens, but we want to bring home a national championship."
As Pyne stated, it was for this exact moment that he came to Troy.
