Troy Set for Showdown with No. 24 Southern Miss
By: Josh Rultenberg
Updated: February 28, 2013
From Troy Media Relations:
TROY, Ala. - Troy wraps up a four-game homestand this weekend when the Trojans welcome No. 24 Southern Miss to Riddle-Pace Field for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The Trojans (6-2) are 5-0 at home this season and have won 58 of their past 75 games (77 percent) at Riddle-Pace Field. Troy has outscored its opponents 60-12 over its five home games this season.
Southern Miss (5-3) has played six of its first eight games of the season at home and have lost both road games this year (Alabama, ULM).
All three games will be broadcast live on the Troy IMG Sports Network with local coverage on 94.7 FM in Troy and free worldwide coverage online at TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also watch the series on Trojan All-Access via TroyTrojans.com.
Troy is coming off a 7-2 victory over Jackson State on Wednesday night thanks to a solid pitching performance from freshman Levi Tate, a two-run home run off the bat of Danny Collins and multi-hit games from Garrett Pitts and Josh McDorman.
The Trojans enter the weekend ranked fifth in the country averaging 10.1 runs per game. Led by Collins' .481 batting average, Troy is batting at a .348 clip as a team with a team OPS of .999. Logan Pierce carries a 12-game hit streak and .429 batting average into the series while Tyler Vaughn has hit safely in 10 straight games and at a .438 clip on the season.
Extra-base hit production has been the key early in the season for the Trojans. Troy has 37 extra-base hits on the year and have allowed just 11. Collins leads the way offensively for the Trojans with three doubles, two triples and two homers. Pierce has five doubles and a homer while Vaughn has four doubles.
Troy's three scheduled starting pitchers this weekend - Will Starling, Shane McCain and Tanner Hicks - have allowed just two extra-base hits between them over a combined 22 innings of work.
Starling (2-0, 2.25) will start the series opener after posting victories in his first two career starts for the Trojans. The junior right-hander has struck out nine and allowed just six hits in eight innings over his two starts.
The Trojans will turn to McCain (1-0, 4.50) in the middle game of the series. The junior southpaw has struck out seven and issued just one walk in six innings over two starts.
A junior right-hander, Hicks (1-0, 4.50) will get the call on the mound in the series finale for the Trojans. Hicks has struck out 10 batters and allowed only five hits in his eight innings of work over two starts.
Southern Miss, who is coming off a 6-5 loss at ULM on Tuesday night, opened the season with a three-game sweep of Missouri and defeated Eastern Illinois and Alcorn State around a loss to Missouri State last weekend.
Andrew Pierce (2-0, 0.63) will get the call on the mound in the opener for the Golden Eagles. The senior right-hander has struck out 14 and walked one over 14.1 innings this season. Sophomore left-hander Jake Drehoff (0-1, 2.79) is scheduled to start game two and sophomore southpaw Mason Robbins (1-0, 1.50) will start the series finale.
Chase Fowler leads Southern Miss at the plate as he enters the series batting at a .421 clip with six RBIs. Isaac Rodriguez leads the Golden Eagles with five of the team's 13 doubles while Robbins and Blake Brown each have one home run.
TROY, Ala. - Troy wraps up a four-game homestand this weekend when the Trojans welcome No. 24 Southern Miss to Riddle-Pace Field for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The Trojans (6-2) are 5-0 at home this season and have won 58 of their past 75 games (77 percent) at Riddle-Pace Field. Troy has outscored its opponents 60-12 over its five home games this season.
Southern Miss (5-3) has played six of its first eight games of the season at home and have lost both road games this year (Alabama, ULM).
All three games will be broadcast live on the Troy IMG Sports Network with local coverage on 94.7 FM in Troy and free worldwide coverage online at TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also watch the series on Trojan All-Access via TroyTrojans.com.
Troy is coming off a 7-2 victory over Jackson State on Wednesday night thanks to a solid pitching performance from freshman Levi Tate, a two-run home run off the bat of Danny Collins and multi-hit games from Garrett Pitts and Josh McDorman.
The Trojans enter the weekend ranked fifth in the country averaging 10.1 runs per game. Led by Collins' .481 batting average, Troy is batting at a .348 clip as a team with a team OPS of .999. Logan Pierce carries a 12-game hit streak and .429 batting average into the series while Tyler Vaughn has hit safely in 10 straight games and at a .438 clip on the season.
Extra-base hit production has been the key early in the season for the Trojans. Troy has 37 extra-base hits on the year and have allowed just 11. Collins leads the way offensively for the Trojans with three doubles, two triples and two homers. Pierce has five doubles and a homer while Vaughn has four doubles.
Troy's three scheduled starting pitchers this weekend - Will Starling, Shane McCain and Tanner Hicks - have allowed just two extra-base hits between them over a combined 22 innings of work.
Starling (2-0, 2.25) will start the series opener after posting victories in his first two career starts for the Trojans. The junior right-hander has struck out nine and allowed just six hits in eight innings over his two starts.
The Trojans will turn to McCain (1-0, 4.50) in the middle game of the series. The junior southpaw has struck out seven and issued just one walk in six innings over two starts.
A junior right-hander, Hicks (1-0, 4.50) will get the call on the mound in the series finale for the Trojans. Hicks has struck out 10 batters and allowed only five hits in his eight innings of work over two starts.
Southern Miss, who is coming off a 6-5 loss at ULM on Tuesday night, opened the season with a three-game sweep of Missouri and defeated Eastern Illinois and Alcorn State around a loss to Missouri State last weekend.
Andrew Pierce (2-0, 0.63) will get the call on the mound in the opener for the Golden Eagles. The senior right-hander has struck out 14 and walked one over 14.1 innings this season. Sophomore left-hander Jake Drehoff (0-1, 2.79) is scheduled to start game two and sophomore southpaw Mason Robbins (1-0, 1.50) will start the series finale.
Chase Fowler leads Southern Miss at the plate as he enters the series batting at a .421 clip with six RBIs. Isaac Rodriguez leads the Golden Eagles with five of the team's 13 doubles while Robbins and Blake Brown each have one home run.
