While many in Troy were deep in slumber in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Troy and Dothan were locked in a tense battle. The two teams traded the lead several times in a game that began Tuesday evening and ended at 1:13 a.m. Wednesday, with Dothan coming up on the good end of a 15-11 decision.

“We should have won that game a couple of different times,” said Troy coach Jonathan Earles. “But, that is the way the ball bounces sometimes. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes and that cost us in the end. However, I am really happy that the kids never quit. The got down; but they never quit.”

Dothan rallied for three runs to tie the game in the top of the seventh, putting the pressure on Troy to end the game.

Troy put two on in the bottom of the seventh, but the potential game-winning run was doubled on a line drive to send the game to extra innings.

Followings a scoreless eighth, Dothan pieced together three hits, and took advantage of two Troy errors, to plate five runs. Troy picked up a lone run in the bottom of the frame, but couldn’t claw back and suffered the loss.

With the loss, Troy drops to the loser’s bracket and will await the winner of a game to be played Wednesday evening. Earles said the extra day of rest will be beneficial to his team, especially after playing so long Tuesday.

“It will give everyone a chance to rest and relax for a little while,” Earles said. “We get a day off to clear our heads before coming back against whomever on Thursday. We just have to come out and play hard and smart, and kick some butt.”