TSU splits doubleheader with Jax State
Published 12:00 am Sunday, March 25, 2001
Troy State fell to Trans America Athletic Conference opponent Jacksonville State, 4-3, in the first of two seven inning games on Saturday at Riddle-Pace Field, but came back to take game two, 7-4. The Trojans ended up 2-1 for the three-game weekend conference series against the Gamecocks.
After four scoreless innings of play, Jacksonville State (9-16, 1-5 TAAC) took a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer by right fielder Ben Padilla in the top of the fifth inning.
Troy State (14-13, 3-3 TAAC) then tied things up in the bottom of the next inning with a Josh Kendrick three-run home run.
The Gamecocks answered in the top of the seventh inning when Bobby Crompton came home off of a sacrifice fly by Padilla to take the final lead of the game, 4-3.
Senior Mickey Oquinn (2-2) threw a complete game and picked up the loss on the mound for Troy State.
A fourth-inning grand slam by designated hitter Wade Miller, a freshman from Skipperville, Ala., propelled the Trojans to a 6-3 lead over Jacksonville State. Troy State’s first two runs came from a RBI single by senior Casey Smith and a RBI double by junior Drew Miller in the bottom of the first. The Trojans put another run on the board when senior Tim Ellis hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Jonathan Smithers.
The Gamecocks, who jumped out to an early 3-2 lead after one inning, scored only one more run in the top of the seventh with a Michael Helms RBI single to right field.
Freshman Eric Wikstrom (2-3), a righty from Roseville, Minn., earned the win in five and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs and five hits and striking out seven. Sophomore Shawn Andrews got his fourth career save while throwing the last one and one-third innings.
Troy State is in action again on Tuesday to play host to Auburn at Paterson Field in Montgomery at 6:30 p.m. The Trojans will face conference opponent Stetson back at Riddle-Pace Field next weekend for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. for Saturday’s doubleheader.