The Troy baseball team won its conference series against Arkansas State, but fell to Alabama 5-3 on Tuesday, April 19.
The Trojans (22-16, 8-7 Sun Belt) traveled to Jonesboro, Arkansas, for their series against the Red Wolves (15-21, 5-13 Sun Belt), from April 15 to April 17.
Troy showed little mercy in the first game. It jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third with a double down the left field line from junior left fielder Trevor Davis, scoring freshman second baseman Brandon Lockridge.
Then, junior right fielder Joey Denison singled to right center field to score Davis. Troy struck again in the fifth for one more run when Davis reached on a fielder’s choice to score Lockridge.
Troy hit it big in the sixth inning, scoring six more runs to make the score 10-0, and then Troy notched one more run in the eighth.
Arkansas State didn’t score a run until the ninth inning, but that was all it got. The final score was 11-1.
The second game started differently from the first one as the Red Wolves scored first this game in the second inning on a home run by Rucker.
Troy answered in the fourth inning on a single to right field from freshman third baseman Chase Smartt, scoring sophomore shortstop Matt Sanders and junior first baseman T.J. Binder to take the lead 2-1. Troy scored again in the sixth inning when Smartt scored on a sacrifice fly by Lockridge to center field.
Arkansas came back and won the game in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring three runs on two fielder’s choices and a double down the right field line.
Troy got back to winning in the final game of the series, scoring first again in the second inning. A triple by senior third baseman Bert Givens scored Smartt and Sanders.
Troy scored three more runs in the sixth inning, beginning with a fielder’s choice for Sanders that scored Davis. The Trojans tacked on three more runs in the seventh on a single to left center field, a walk and a sacrifice fly to center field.
Arkansas State scored last again, mustering only one run on a five-pitch walk to Bakamus to score senior left fielder Austin Baker. Troy won the game 8-1.
Troy took their momentum from the win into a Tuesday night showdown in Tuscaloosa. Troy took on the Crimson Tide, looking for revenge for a previous 2-1 defeat back on Tuesday, March 1.
Troy scored first on a single to right field by Sanders that scored senior catcher Tripp Calhoun.
Alabama struck back in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs beginning with a single to left field by sophomore shortstop Chandler Avant to score freshman left fielder Hunter Webb.
Troy tied the game 3-3 in the sixth inning when Denison homered over the left field fence.
Alabama scored in the eighth inning when junior catcher Taylor Poe singled down the left field line to score freshman right fielder Chandler Taylor and senior third baseman Chance Vincent. With those last runs, Alabama won the game 5-3.
Troy’s next series is at home against UT-Arlington at Riddle-Pace Field from Friday, April 22, to Sunday, April 24.
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