by: Caleb Odom The Troy Baseball team was able to put last night’s ugly loss behind them with a comeback win in game 2 victory 6-3 against Southern Mississippi on Saturday, March 2. It was a cold windy day at Riddle-Pace Field in a game that was a pitcher’s due early on but the Trojans would have to rally in the bottom of the 6th inning to take down the Golden Eagles. “Overall, hey Saturday win that we had to have and we found a way to get it.” Coach Bobby Pierce said. Troy redshirt freshman Peyton Fuller made his first start at second base and his offense did not disappoint. As Fuller stepped into the batters box a fan remarked “Fuller, lets see what you got” as the freshman stroked a ball into centerfield for a double in the bottom of the 2nd. Fuller went 3 for 4 with an RBI while Trojan right fielder Danny Collins had a 2 for 3 day with a solo home run that provided an insurance run for Troy in the bottom of the 7th to make it 5-3 Trojans. “I was just hoping to help the team,” Fuller said. “My teammates, they were picking me up before the game stared telling me to relax and just have fun.” Lefty pitcher Shane McCain started the game for Troy and went six innings giving up Southern Miss’s three runs in the top of the 6th as his began to tire. “He pitched a heck of a ballgame,” Pierce said. “Had good command of his fastball and change-up as well.” Despite surrendering the three runs in the 6th, Pierce let McCain finish the inning out going with the righty Matthew ‘Muggsy’ Howard from 7th on. “My defense played great behind me and I was just trying to get to our bullpen.” McCain said. The Trojans would take the lead in the bottom of the 6th inning scoring four runs thanks to a Santos RBI double, a Harrell 2 RBI double, and Brandon Brown’s bunt single that scored Jakob Nixon. Collins would homer in the 7th and Fuller’s RBI double in the bottom of 8th put the already cold game on ice for Troy 6-3. “The kid looked real relaxed at the plate and that’s a shot in the arm that we needed,” Pierce said on the impact of Fuller in the lineup. “Who would know that would come from a little freshman player. I was real proud of his effort today.” Howard would pitch three scoreless innings of one hit baseball in relief for Troy. Heading into Sunday’s rubber match against Southern Miss at 1 pm, the Trojans look to start a winning streak on ‘Championship Sunday’.
Staff Writer
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