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Trojan’s Middle Inning Rally Gets Past Louisiana, 8-5
LAFAYETTE – Gavin Schrader’s two-run homer in the fourth inning began a seven-run outburst for No. 21-ranked Troy and Houston Markham’s two-run single broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth in an 8-5 win over Louisiana in a Sun Belt Conference series on Saturday at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
Jakob Wax added a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh while Noah Edders and three relievers combined to hold off a Louisiana (8-12, 0-2 Sun Belt) rally for the second straight day in claiming the opening SBC series between the schools.
The final game of the three-game series is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with fans able to listen to the game in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
Troy (15-4, 2-0 Sun Belt) broke a scoreless contest in the second inning as Markham drew a one-out walk, moved to third on Schrader’s single up the middle and scored on Peyton Watts’ sacrifice bunt.
Louisiana, which held an 11-10 advantage in hits, would plate two runs in the second inning off Edders to take the early lead as Lee Amedee would score on Sam Ardoin’s fielder’s choice before Brooks Wright followed with a double to right.
The Ragin’ Cajuns would open the third with four straight hits beginning with Conor Higgs’ single to right in front of a diving Schrader. Caleb Stelly and Amedee would follow with singles to load the bases before Jose Torres’ two-run single to left would give Louisiana a 4-1 lead.
The Trojans would cut into the lead in the fourth when Markham drew a one-out walk and Schrader followed with his first home run of the season.
Troy would add three more runs in the fifth as Sean Darnell singled, Blake Cavill reached on a fielder’s choice and Brooks Bryan would single through the right side off Louisiana starter JR Tollett (1-2) for a 4-4 contest.
Two batters later, Markham, who finished 2-for-4, lined a single up the middle off Ragin’ Cajuns reliever Riley Marcotte to put the Trojans up for good, 6-4.
The Trojans threatened to break the game open in the sixth as it loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch and pair of walks before true freshman Aidan Grab got Dillon Kuehl to ground out to second to end the inning.
Grab, who pitched a season-high 3.1 innings, got two quick outs in the seventh with a pair of grounders before a two-out walk to Watts and Wax’s first career homer gave Troy an 8-4 lead.
Higgs led off the seventh with a solo home for the Ragin’ Cajuns and Stelly followed with a double to chase Trojan reliever Grayson Stewart (2-1). Noah Thigpen came in an got a fielder’s choice to retire Stelly at third before getting a strike out and grounder back to the mound.
Louisiana, which stranded 10 runners, got a two-out single from Griffin Hebert and Luke Yuhasz’s double to right to put the tying run at the plate. Thigpen, who pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, got a grounder to third to end the inning.
Jay Dill pitched the ninth to record his second save in as many days for Troy. Stewart earned the victory for the Trojans after allowing a pair of hits with a strikeout in 2.1 innings of work. Torres led Louisiana at the plate going 3-for-5. Higgs and Stelly each went 2-for-4 with a combined three runs scored for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Tollett, making his second career start, scattered eight hits and surrendered six runs in 4.0 innings.
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