Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer
Black Team Sweeps the Cardinal Team to Conclude Fall Practice for the Trojans
11/4/2011 11:13:00 PM | Baseball
Senior Tyler Ray entered the Fall World Series draft room with a plan. After being swept in last year's fall classic, he vowed to not make the same mistake he did last year. He executed his draft plan and chose four pitchers in the first four rounds while Blake Martz, his counterpart chose three hitters and one pitcher. As the draft continued, Ray strategically selected his offense and that led to an impressive two-game sweep at Riddle-Pace Field, Friday afternoon and evening.
The Black squad swept the doubleheader by scores of 15-9 and 14-7 in two seven-inning games. Ray and four other pitchers were in charge of the Black team, while Martz and four other position players were led the Cardinal team. Head Coach Bobby Pierce and his coaching staff were merely spectators in the end of the fall affair.
In the first game, The Cardinal team jumped out to an early 6-0 lead after two innings. Junior catcher Brandon Brown capped a six run second inning with a three-run homer to right center field. The Black squad answered with a two-run home run from freshman outfielder Clay Holcomb to trim the Cardinal's lead to four.
Sophomore Kyle Brown hit a solo home run for Black in the 4th to make it 6-3, but Cardinal scored three runs in the bottom half to stretch their lead to 9-3. Junior Logan Pierce plated one run on an RBI double, and then it was senior Josh McDorman, who hit a towering home run to left field with two outs in the inning.
Cardinal pushed in three run in the 5th to trim the margin to 9-6 with run scoring hits from outfielder Drew Prichard, catcher Zach Siegel and junior shortstop Austin Golden. The 6th inning proved to be the difference as the Black team plated nine runs to put the game away. In that crucial frame, the Cardinal team used four pitchers, but none were able to stop the offensive barrage.
Holcomb would walk to force in the go-ahead run and senior Tyson Workman would triple in three runs. Sophomore Jakob Nixon hit a line drive home run to left field to finish the scoring for the Black squad. Workman then took the mound with the six-run margin and retired the last six hitters of the game. Junior left-hander Nate Hill was the winning pitcher for the Black squad.
Game Two was more of the same for Black as the offense hammered out 16 hits and piled up 14 runs to complete the two-game sweep. Junior Thomas Austin picked up the win with three shutout innings of relief.
The Black squad's offense was led in Game Two by sophomore third baseman Danny Collins, who had three hits with a home run and three runs batted in. Workman picked up two hits and drove in four that included a big three-run homer in the second inning. Austin Golden chipped in three hits and two RBIs. Every starter for the Black squad had at least one hit in the 14-run outburst to clinch the series.
Ray felt vindicated after getting the sweep of the Cardinal squad and earning payback from last year's series loss.
“I knew after last fall the loss was a result of not being prepared on draft day, Ray said.” I had a better draft strategy this year and our players played great today. Although we gave up some runs, we pitched very well when the game was on the line in both games.”
The fall series concludes fall practice for the Trojans. Head Coach Bobby Pierce seemed pleased after the series.
“Our team had a very productive fall and I believe got better throughout the process, Pierce said.” “I am confident this group wants to be good and will continue to improve as we get ready to begin in February. Everyone associated with our program is looking forward to the 2012 season.”
The Trojans will host Alumni Weekend and the 2011 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Riddle-Pace Field, on homecoming weekend (November 11-12).
The 2012 regular season begins on February 17 at Riddle-Pace Field, as Troy takes on the Central Michigan Chippewas of the Mid-American Conference.
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