Special to The Messenger

Troy University looks to stop the Tide from coming in as the University of Alabama faces off with the Trojans today at 6 p.m. at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.

The Trojans are 8-1 after picking up their first loss in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader with Wake Forest during the ScreenTech Wiregrass Classic in Dothan.

Troy bounced back in the second game Saturday, scoring a 1-0 victory over the Demon Deacons.

During the Wiregrass Classic, Troy also downed Penn State on Friday – and then topped Kennesaw State for the second time this season on Sunday afternoon.

Junior Beau Brooks had three RBI on two hits in a 10-6 victory over Kennesaw State in the final game of the Classic.

&uot;I am very pleased with how we played this weekend,&uot; coach Bobby Pierce said.

&uot;Beau had a great weekend hitting the ball and out pitching was good again.&uot;

Troy (8-1) got on the board in the first inning when junior Bryan Miller doubled down the left field line and scored on a double off the bat of Brooks.

Lance Miller singled up the middle scoring Brooks giving Troy the early 2-0 lead.

Kennesaw State (4-6) answered Troy’s scoring inning with a home run in the third inning.

Josh Whitaker belted an Andrew Dickinson fastball over the wall in left making the score 2-1.

The Trojans added three more runs in the fifth inning when sophomore Steven Felix led off with a bunt single.

Junior Paul Gatchell followed with a walk.

Both runners stole a base putting them on second and third.

Miller and Brooks followed with walks with Brooks picking up the RBI.

Daryl Otwell reached base on an error by Curtis Van Wyck picking up an RBI and was followed by Lance Miller, who plated Bryan Miller on a sacrifice fly putting the Trojans ahead, 5-1.

Troy would follow its big fifth inning with an even bigger sixth inning.

The Trojans scored five runs on five hits in the inning.

Brooks picked up another RBI on a sacrifice fly. Michael Precise and Adam Bryant picked up and RBI on singles with Otwell picking up the RBI on a double to left field.

&uot;We had a good day with our middle innings in scoring runs,&uot; Pierce said.

&uot;We needed to play good against these teams and we did and now we need to keep rolling.&uot;

The Owls added two runs in the seventh and eighth inning.

Michael Bohana (0-1) took the loss on the hill for the Owls going four innings allowing five runs on five hits while walking four and striking out two.

Kyle Heckathorn followed going 1 2/3 innings allowing four runs on three hits

Andrew Dickinson (1-0) gave up two runs on nine hits over six innings.

HE also struck out three batters and walked one.

Drew Hull followed in the seventh inning and gave up two runs. Neal Jordan also gave up two runs in the eighth inning on three hits. Senior Rob Brown put the Owls away in the ninth by striking out two batters.

Brooks and Lance Miller each had two hits for the Trojans with Brooks picking up three RBI and Miller added two.

Otwell also had two RBI.

The Trojans will be back in action Tuesday night in Montgomery’s Riverwalk Stadium against in-state for, Alabama.

First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Tickets are available in the Troy Ticket Office for $10 and they will also be sold the day of the game in Montgomery.