Troy Edges Florida Atlantic Saturday, 6-5

Saturday, April 11

Troy, Ala.

7:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

17-14, 6-10

Troy

21-13, 9-5

Florida Atlantic

Troy

4/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 11, 2009

Final Stats

TROY, AL - Troy University ran its Sun Belt Conference win-streak to seven games, beating Florida Atlantic University by the slimmest of margins, 6-5. Tom Hatcher hit a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh but the homestanding Trojans manufactured a run in the eighth to retake the lead and claim the series.

Florida Atlantic (17-14; 6-10 Sun Belt) has lost 11 of 15 since beginning the season 13-3.

Troy (21-13; 9-5 Sun Belt) remains in the hunt for the regular-season league title. The Trojans' Riddle-Pace Field will be the site of the Sun Belt's 2009 postseason tournament in May.

David Wilson hit the first pitch of the game over the 27-foot wall which looms over right field helping FAU build an early 3-1 lead.

Troy evened the game by scoring twice in the third. Chad Watson hit an RBI-single in the inning and Ryan Ditthardt followed with a timely two-out double to drive Watson home, making it 3-3.

The Trojans chased FAU lefty starter Barry Rooks with one out in the third when Adam Bryant lined a single into right field to plate Charley Williams and Steven Felix. Rooks allowed five runs on seven hits through 3 1/3 innings.

With FAU trailing 5-3 in the sixth, Colby Gratton hit a one-out single - one of his three hits - leading to the end of the night for Troy starter Jason Walls. Walls watched Fred Lewis walk Nick Criaris to load the bases prompting Bobby Pierce to call upon preseason All-Sun Belt closer Josh Storm who would leave the runners stranded by striking out the side, preserving the lead for Walls - momentarily.

With Storm (2-0) coming back to work in the seventh, Hatcher hit a towering opposite-field two-run homer over the extended right field facade to tie the game, 5-5. For Hatcher it was his team-leading sixth homerun of the season and RBI numbers 22 and 23.

In mid-relief of Rooks, Chris Schmitt (4-2) was working effectively through three-plus innings until back-to-back singles followed a hit batter, leading to a Troy run in the seventh.

FAU would begin the eighth needing one run to tie and two to take the lead but Chris Sorce wouldn't give it up. The 6-foot-1 transfer from Pensacola JC struck out four of the six batters he faced to earn his third save.

GAME NOTES: LH Barry Rooks (3-1; 4.95 ERA) has just two K's in his last three starts, giving up 18 hits and failing to reach the fifth inning... Rooks had pitched at least seven innings in three of his first five starts and was among the league-leaders in ERA (3.03) on March 21st... Troy RH Josh Storm (2-0; 10.54 ERA), a preseason All-Sun Belt closer and a nominee for the NCBWA "Stopper of the Year" award, has given up 11 earned runs in his last four appearances... RH Chris Schmitt (4-2; 5.87 ERA) has appeared in six of FAU's last seven games... LH Alex Pepe (2-0: 1.90 ERA) made his team-leading 18th appearance this season and needs just two more to equal FAU's all-time record of 79 established by Danny Core (2000-03).