Troy University Athletics
Friday, April 21
Troy, Ala.
6 PM
Troy University
vs
Texas State
Photo by: Colin Edwards
Baseball Hosts Texas State in Sun Belt Series; Youth Baseball Day Saturday
4/20/2017 1:22:00 PM | Baseball
Watch Live (G1 | G2 | G3) | Listen Live | Live Stats | Game Notes
TROY, Alabama – The Troy baseball team returns to Riddle-Pace Field this weekend for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Texas State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Friday and the teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.; all three games will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Troy volleyball head coach Josh Lauer will throw out the first pitch prior to Friday night's game. Saturday is Youth Baseball Day at Riddle-Pace Field as youth players in uniform can stand on the field with the Trojans for the national anthem and run the bases after the game. Additionally, youth players in uniform and their families can purchase $5 tickets for the game and the first 100 fans through the gates on Saturday will receive a free Troy Athletics t-shirt.
The Trojans (19-17, 6-9 Sun Belt) are coming off a mid-week split against UAB and Jacksonville State; the Trojans dropped a home contest to the Blazers before knocking off the Gamecocks, 10-5, on the road.
Brandon Lockridge saw his on-base streak end at 32 consecutive games last weekend, but the Troy second baseman has multiple hits in six of his last seven games with five RBIs. Lockridge leads the Trojans batting at a .342 clip on the season and is second with 11 doubles and a .452 slugging percentage.
First baseman Justin Friend has increased his presence at the plate for the Trojans over the past couple weeks and enters the Texas State series with a team-leading .400 on-base percentage. Friend is among the nation's leaders with 28 walks, which includes 16 free passes over the past 10 games.
Head coach Mark Smartt will shuffle up his weekend rotation for the series with the Bobcats (22-16, 9-6) sending right-handers Andrew Crane (2-1, 1.74) and Daren Osby (4-3, 3.93) to the bump for the first two games before ending the weekend with southpaw Austin Crook (4-1, 3.71).
Crane's last start was a gem as he limited Georgia Southern to just three hits over 8.1 scoreless innings two weekends ago. He picked up a win out of the bullpen last weekend at Georgia State with 3.2 scoreless innings. Crane enters his third start of the season with 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Troy closer Marc Skinner has a chance to make history this weekend as his next appearance will be the 100th of his Trojan career. Additionally, Skinner is three appearances and three saves shy of setting both Troy career records.
Texas State jumped out to a quick start in league play with a 5-1 start, but the Bobcats have dropped two of their last three Sun Belt series entering this weekend's matchup.
Bobcat outfielder Theodore Hoffman leads the Sun Belt in hits, runs scored and total bases, while ranking second in home runs with 12. Texas State leads the league batting .298 as a club, while the pitching staff is ninth with a 5.23 ERA.
BROADCAST INFO
TV / Online: ESPN3 / WatchESPN (G1 | G2 | G3)
Radio: WTBF 94.7 FM
Online: TroyTrojans.com
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
SERIES HISTORY
Troy (19-17, 6-9) vs. Texas State (22-16, 9-6)
Overall Series: Series tied 5-5
in Troy: 3-0
Streak: Texas State W2
Last: March 29 – April 1, 2016
Texas State won series 2-1 (3-5, 4-1, 11-6)
PITCHING MATCHUPS - (Troy v. Texas State)
Game One
RHP Andrew Crane (2-1, 1.74) v. RHP Connor Reich (2-2, 4.70)
Game Two
RHP Daren Osby (4-3, 3.93) v. RHP Nicholas Fraze (4-1, 4.59)
Game Three
LHP Austin Crook (4-1, 3.71) v. TBA
TROY, Alabama – The Troy baseball team returns to Riddle-Pace Field this weekend for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Texas State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Friday and the teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.; all three games will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Troy volleyball head coach Josh Lauer will throw out the first pitch prior to Friday night's game. Saturday is Youth Baseball Day at Riddle-Pace Field as youth players in uniform can stand on the field with the Trojans for the national anthem and run the bases after the game. Additionally, youth players in uniform and their families can purchase $5 tickets for the game and the first 100 fans through the gates on Saturday will receive a free Troy Athletics t-shirt.
The Trojans (19-17, 6-9 Sun Belt) are coming off a mid-week split against UAB and Jacksonville State; the Trojans dropped a home contest to the Blazers before knocking off the Gamecocks, 10-5, on the road.
Brandon Lockridge saw his on-base streak end at 32 consecutive games last weekend, but the Troy second baseman has multiple hits in six of his last seven games with five RBIs. Lockridge leads the Trojans batting at a .342 clip on the season and is second with 11 doubles and a .452 slugging percentage.
First baseman Justin Friend has increased his presence at the plate for the Trojans over the past couple weeks and enters the Texas State series with a team-leading .400 on-base percentage. Friend is among the nation's leaders with 28 walks, which includes 16 free passes over the past 10 games.
Head coach Mark Smartt will shuffle up his weekend rotation for the series with the Bobcats (22-16, 9-6) sending right-handers Andrew Crane (2-1, 1.74) and Daren Osby (4-3, 3.93) to the bump for the first two games before ending the weekend with southpaw Austin Crook (4-1, 3.71).
Crane's last start was a gem as he limited Georgia Southern to just three hits over 8.1 scoreless innings two weekends ago. He picked up a win out of the bullpen last weekend at Georgia State with 3.2 scoreless innings. Crane enters his third start of the season with 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Troy closer Marc Skinner has a chance to make history this weekend as his next appearance will be the 100th of his Trojan career. Additionally, Skinner is three appearances and three saves shy of setting both Troy career records.
Texas State jumped out to a quick start in league play with a 5-1 start, but the Bobcats have dropped two of their last three Sun Belt series entering this weekend's matchup.
Bobcat outfielder Theodore Hoffman leads the Sun Belt in hits, runs scored and total bases, while ranking second in home runs with 12. Texas State leads the league batting .298 as a club, while the pitching staff is ninth with a 5.23 ERA.
BROADCAST INFO
TV / Online: ESPN3 / WatchESPN (G1 | G2 | G3)
Radio: WTBF 94.7 FM
Online: TroyTrojans.com
Live Stats: TroyStats.com
SERIES HISTORY
Troy (19-17, 6-9) vs. Texas State (22-16, 9-6)
Overall Series: Series tied 5-5
in Troy: 3-0
Streak: Texas State W2
Last: March 29 – April 1, 2016
Texas State won series 2-1 (3-5, 4-1, 11-6)
PITCHING MATCHUPS - (Troy v. Texas State)
Game One
RHP Andrew Crane (2-1, 1.74) v. RHP Connor Reich (2-2, 4.70)
Game Two
RHP Daren Osby (4-3, 3.93) v. RHP Nicholas Fraze (4-1, 4.59)
Game Three
LHP Austin Crook (4-1, 3.71) v. TBA
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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