Troy Sweeps Season Series with Jax State
TROY, Alabama – Troy struck for four in the top of the first and never turned back en route to an 8-2 win over in-state rival Jacksonville State to sweep the season series with the Gamecocks Tuesday night at Riddle-Pace Field.
The Trojans' (30-14) early lead held steady thanks to the strong relief performance from Rush Hixon (3-2) on the mound. Hixon was outstanding through five scoreless innings of work, allowing just three base runners – two hits and a walk – with seven strikeouts.
Two of those four runs in the first came off the bat of Sadler Goodwin, who ripped a two-out, two-RBI triple – he finished 2-for-3 with a career-high three RBIs in the game.
Veteran batters Matt Sanders and Joey Denison were responsible for Troy's other two multi-hit performances on the night. Both went 2-for-4 – Sanders scored his 62nd and 63rd runs of the year, while Denison drove in one to reach 55 RBIs this season.
Freshman Manning Early launched the Trojans' sixth homer in the last six games with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning – it was his fourth round-tripper of the year.
Jacksonville State (23-18) struck for two in the top of the third but were held quiet for the remainder of the game. Leadoff batter Clayton Daniel led the Gamecocks with a 2-for-5 game and starter Sean Rape (1-1) was chased after giving up five runs on five hits in one official inning on the mound to take the loss.
Sound "Smartt" with Your Friends
Troy is 9-2 against teams from Alabama this season, sweeping the season series with UAB, Samford and Jacksonville State for the first time in school history. The Trojans have four games remaining against in-state teams – all four at Riddle-Pace Field.
Noteworthy
• Drew Frederic extended his team-long and career-best reached-base streak to 28 games – dating back to March 16.
• Baseball magnet Brandon Lockridge was plunked for the 17th time this season, tying Todd McRae for the second-most hit-by-pitches in a single season in school history. Steven Felix leads the category with 25 in 2010.
• Before Tuesday, Troy had not beaten Jacksonville State at Riddle-Pace Field since 2013, which is also the last season that the Trojans swept the Gamecocks.
On Deck
Troy's longest road trip of the season – seven games – begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Statesboro, Ga., against conference opponent Georgia Southern.
Three-Run Second Lifts DBU Past Mavs
DALLAS -- A three-run second inning was enough to power Dallas Baptist to a 5-3 win over UTA baseball in the finale of the 2018 non-conference season, on a windy Tuesday night at Horner Ballpark.
UTA (21-24) wrapped up a rugged non-conference schedule at the powerhouse Patriots on Tuesday night. The Mavs finished their midweek schedule with a 6-7 record, facing off with 10 of 13 opponents in midweek play that were ranked at some point in 2018. UTA posted wins over No. 6 Texas A&M, in 18 innings, vs. No. 23 Sam Houston State, and in the first meeting of the home-and-home series with No. 23 DBU, 7-2 on April 17.
Dallas Baptist (28-14) plated three runs on a hit and three walks in the second inning to erase an early 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Mavs cut the lead with a single tally in the third and DBU added an insurance run on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. UTA got a triple from Phillip Childs and an RBI from RJ Williams to cut the lead to 5-3 in the ninth.
LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs collected a multi-hit game from Will Olson, who doubled and drove in a run. David Renning hung a sac fly to score a run, with Boone Montgomery sporting his second career triple. UTA also got a hit from Easton Johnson. Childs went 2-for-4 with his first career triple. In his first game since suffering an injury on April 3, Williams returned to the lineup to collect two walks and two singles.
ON THE MOUND
UTA starter Reid Petty (1-3) worked 1.1 innings, allowing a hit, three runs and four walks, striking out two. In a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second, senior lefty Brad Vassar came on in relief. Vassar worked 2.2 shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk, striking out three. UTA turned to Jordon West to open the fifth inning and carved out a splendid outing, allowing two hits and a walk over 2.2 innings, striking out two.
With a runner on and two outs in the seventh, Andrew Gross exited the bullpen to work in relief of West. Gross faced three hitters, allowing a hit, hit batter and a walk. Logan Austin came on with a 2-0 count and the bases juiced with two outs in the seventh and worked out of the jam. Austin worked 1.1 innings, allowing a run.
DBU starter Kody Funderburk worked three innings, allowing four hits and two runs, walking three and striking out three. DBU also used Kragen Kechely (5-0) worked four shutout innings, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts. Kechely has worked in 36.1 innings, allowing just 21 hits in 2018.
With a two-run lead to start the eighth inning, MacGregor Hines came on in relief, earning his third save.
NEXT
The Mavs will return to action on Friday, hosting the first of a three-game series with Appalachian State at 6:30 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark. The game will be broadcast live on UTAMavs.com, with the Voice of UTA Baseball, Josh Sours, calling the action.
Walkoff grand slam lifts Longhorns past Bobcats
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas State baseball team dropped an 11-10 decision on a walkoff grand slam to No. 18 Texas Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
The Bobcats (22-22-1) fell back to .500 on the year for the first time since early March, while the Longhorns improved to 31-17 on the season.
TXST initially led 1-0 before UT even had a chance to bat, and the visitors were able to pull ahead 3-0 after scratching across two more in the third. The Longhorns flipped the script with a four-spot in the home half of the third, and they added two additional tallies an inning later to take a 6-3 advantage.
Texas State plated seven runs across the next three frames to find a 10-6 lead, but Texas scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to earn the come-from-behind triumph. San Marcos native David Hamilton hit a walkoff grand slam for the Longhorns.
Juniors Jonathan Ortega and Jaylen Hubbard both went 2-for-5 and combined for five RBIs, five runs scored and two home runs. The entire Bobcat lineup also struck out just once all night.
Sophomore starting pitcher Zachary Leigh conceded five runs on seven hits in the first 3.0 innings. He struck out three and did not issue a walk. Four pitchers bridged the gap from Leigh to junior closer Brayden Theriot. Senior Cam Baird and juniors Braden Pearson, Anthony Pagano and Seth Jordan combined to allow just one run and one hit in 5.0 innings of work. Theriot (1-3) was unable to record an out, and he took the loss after allowing five runs on two hits, while walking three.
Hamilton finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and one run. Kody Clemens was the only other member of the team with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-5. Masen Hibbeler drove in two runs and scored twice. Duke Ellis and Tate Shaw also touched home plate twice.
Texas used nine pitchers throughout the night. Starter Kamron Fields allowed three runs on two hits in the first 2.0 innings. Chris Fearon (1-0) was the final Longhorn on the mound. He pitched a clean ninth to earn the win.
With the triumph, UT wins the season series against the maroon and gold. The third and final tilt will be May 15 back in Austin.
Texas State is slated to remain on the road for a three-game series against Arkansas State May 4-6 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The Bobcats will enter weekend play fourth in the Sun Belt Conference West Division.