Troy finishes off sweep

April 12, 2009

By Drew Champlin

Easter Sunday was a good one for the Troy baseball team, which finished off the sweep of Florida Atlantic.

That’s 8 straight Sun Belt wins, 3 straight Sun Belt series wins, 2 straight sweeps, and the Trojans are now in third place in the league.

Up next is a trip to lowly Arkansas-Little Rock, but UALR swept Troy in a stunner back in 2007. Troy still made a regional that year, but won’t have the RPI boost like this year if the same thing happens.

Thankfully for the Trojans, there are no midweek games. I know pitching coach Jeff Crane is excited about that, because he hasn’t been able to get in some real midweek bullpen work with a lot of the relief pitchers because they’ve had to be ready to pitch in every game.

Starting pitching has been excellent, relief pitching is coming around, and the lineup looks to be steady. Adam Bryant is coming back around, Trevor Tyre is starting to hit like he did in 2007, and Charley Williams is getting in the lineup every day, including against left-handed pitching.

Easter link

By Drew Champlin

This would be from the baseball game I covered last night, as Troy edged FAU to take a 2-0 series lead.

Trojans are really turning things around in league play, it seems. Granted, FAU isn’t the best team in the league but they’re far from the worst and swept UL-Lafayette on the road a few weeks back. I’d say if Troy wants to contend for a title, a sweep here and at UALR next week is necessary. The schedule sets up well for Troy this year because they have all the good Sun Belt teams, except FIU, at home.

One recruiting note on the diamond - Troy will sign Wallace-Dothan shortstop T.J. Rivera this week. I know they’re looking for more front-line pitching because weekend starter Travis Burge is a senior, top relievers Jeff Green and Josh Storm are seniors, and weekend starter Jason Walls and top reliever Chris Sorce are hard enough throwers and good enough pitchers to get drafted and sign.

Speaking of Sorce, he looked really good last night. He had been struggling a little bit since the Saturday game of the Western Kentucky series, but struck out four of six batters he faced last night.

Troy goes for third straight series win (TROY wins 6-5)

April 11, 2009

By Drew Champlin

I’ll be heading to Troy shortly for the second game of a three-game set between Troy and Florida Atlantic, set to start at 6 p.m.

Last night, Tyler Ray and the Troy offense jumped on FAU early for the win.

Friday is usually the best atmosphere, but Saturday is usually the most important - you’re either going for the series or trying to keep from losing it. Fortunately for the Trojans, they’re going for the series today.

5:30 p.m. UPDATE - Sitting on the table in front of Barry and Jerry, where there’s not many better places to watch Troy baseball. Beautiful night for baseball. Troy’s lineup is as follows: Chad Watson in CF, Miles Hoyle in LF, Michael Precise at DH, Ryan Ditthardt at 1B, Brett Henry at 3B, Charley Williams in RF, Trevor Tyre at 2B, Steven Felix at C, Adam Bryant at SS with RHP Jason Walls (2-2, 3.75 ERA) on the mound.

FAU’s got David Wilson in LF, William Block at 2B, Travis Ozga at 1B, Tom Hatcher at DH, Nick DelGuidice at SS, Colby Gratton in RF, Troy Bubley at 3B, Nick Criaris at C at Anthony Mesa at SS. On the mound is LHP Barry Rooks (3-1, 4.17 ERA).

TOP 1 - FAU’s David Wilson hit the first pitch of the game for a solo homer.

END 1 - Watson leads off with triple that FAU’s RF sorely misplayed but never got glove on. Thought he could have gotten an inside-the-park HR but coach Mark Smartt was right in holding him at third. Hoyle’s sac fly scored him. 1-1 going to the top of the 2nd.

MID 2 - A couple of mistakes by Troy gives FAU a 3-1 lead. The first was Walls leaving an 0-2 pitch in the zone for an RBI double, the second an error by second baseman Tyre that made it 3-1.

END 3 - Watson, who singled in Adam Bryant who had doubled, is halfway to the cycle. Ryan Ditthardt doubled in Watson to tie the game. I’ve come to the conclusion that FAU’s outfielders don’t have very strong arms. Game tied 3-3.

BOT 4 - Pitching change for FAU as Chris Schmitt comes in after Adam Bryant’s 2-run single makes it 5-3 with one out.

TOP 6 - Fred Lewis is in to pitch for Jason Walls, who went 5 1/3 innings and pitched fairly well. Lewis inherits a situation with runners on first and second with one out.

STILL TOP 6 - Lewis walked the only batter he faced and we’re getting a look at Josh Storm in the sixth inning - quite unusual. Shows the importance on this game and the confidence Pierce has in his bats tomorrow. I’m guessing he’ll bridge the gap till the 8th or 9th and bring in Sorce to close, unless he keeps his pitch count low and dominates. Bases loaded, same score.

MID 6 - It worked. Storm struck out both guys he faced and looked pretty dang good doing so. 5-3 Troy.

BOT 7  - Storm walks the leadoff guy and two batters later, Tom Hatcher hits a 2-run homer. He had struck out in his first three at-bats. Tied 5-5

END 7 - Troy got a run on Michael Precise’s RBI single and lead 6-5. Chris Sorce to pitch.

TOP 9 - Troy leads 6-5 as we head to the top of the ninth. Controversial double play call stopped an early rally, as Adam Bryant bunted, not a good one as it was thrown to second. No attempt was even made to throw it to first but Steven Felix slid into the guy covering second (who was on the bag). Umpire ruled double play for interference, Bobby argued to no avail, and after two walks and a flyout, we head to the top of the ninth.

Friday links

April 10, 2009

By Drew Champlin

Troy is back in action at home this weekend against Florida Atlantic. Troy’s best offensive player is junior Ryan Ditthardt, who is from Fort Lauderdale and grew up not far from FAU, which is in Boca Raton.

How does a guy from Fort Lauderdale end up in Troy, Alabama? Funny story. Troy coach Bobby Pierce grew up as a family friend of Ditthardt’s mother, Valerie, in Marianna, Fla. Pierce played sports with his uncle and knew the whole family. Ryan, who was a hot prospect coming up through high school, was being courted by Florida, Miami and Florida State before tearing his ACL the summer before his junior year. The knee got better, but the big schools backed off.

So he went to Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla., where he spent just one semester. The school had many draft-and-follow guys, which are players drafted the previous June by an MLB team but wait several months to sign, up to a year if possible (I think that practice has been stopped by MLB, but not sure). Well, they didn’t sign, so Ditthardt was going to have to redshirt.

He didn’t want to do that, so his mom called Pierce - not looking to get him to Troy, but to a better situation. He found a better situation, and two years later was at Troy. Read the rest of the story HERE.

——————————————————-

Covered a prep baseball game between Charles Henderson and Rehobeth Thursday night. Ran into inside receivers coach Kenny Edenfield, and we saw his son hit a homer that sparked a 7-run fifth inning for the Trojans. The younger Edenfield, a junior, was a Dothan Eagle Super 12 selection as Charles Henderson’s quarterback and hopes to play football at the next level.

———————————————————

Found this feature on Web site FAUOwlAccess.com that has a look at the series at the bottom. I guess they haven’t heard of us up in Dothan. But for a good look at FAU spring football with some baseball mixed in, check out Ted Hutton’s blog at the Sun-Sentinel.

6 p.m. EDIT - I’ll be at the Saturday game.

Some basketball recruiting notes

April 09, 2009

By Drew Champlin

Troy has five scholarships available for next year and the spring signing period starts next Wednesday and goes on for about a month. The Trojans didn’t sign anyone in the fall, but are hoping to secure a couple of commitments this weekend.

Jamar Taylor, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound power forward from Supply, NC (Brunswick CC) is visiting. His favorites are Troy and Towson. Vernon Taylor, a 6-foot-4, 193-pound wing guard from Spartanburg Methodist College, is also visiting. Rivals.com lists his top two as Troy and Tennessee Tech. Vernon Taylor is on campus now.

The two aren’t related, but they are Troy’s top two targets in this signing period. They are also the only two visitors this weekend.

Troy also will be targeting some Division I-A transfers, hopefully one or two, but that usually doesn’t come through until June.

Last fall, Troy hosted Selma forward Wendell Lewis, but this update from scout.com lists his top three as Auburn, Mississippi State and Western Kentucky. The SEC schools didn’t jump in the picture until this spring.