Trevor Davis hit a two-run homerun to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Troy Trojans held on to defeat the No. 23 South Alabama Jaguars 4-2 on Friday.

“I am really proud of the win,” said Trojans head coach Mark Smartt. “After the loss last night, I felt like our team would respond the right way. We are made of the right stuff. They showed a lot of courage in this game.”

The Trojans lost 8-3 on Thursday.

Senior Lucas Brown, in his final start at home, went eight strong innings, allowing two runs while striking out eight.

“Tonight was about Lucas Brown,” Smartt said. “How good was he? He was terrific. I have heard this my whole life, momentum is only as good as your next day’s starting pitcher. I though Lucas was sensational. I was really happy he got the win.”

After both teams went scoreless in the opening inning, the Trojans broke through in the second inning when they scored a run on two singles. After Trevor Davis reached safely on a base hit and stole second, Brandon Lockridge drove them in with a single up the middle.

The Trojans jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when they sent seven batters to the plate and Joey Denison scored on an error by the second baseman.

The Jaguars got back in the game in the fifth. Brown recorded two outs relatively easy in the inning. With two runners on base, Drew Labounty reached on an error by Davis when he dropped a pop fly that scored Danny Martinez. The Jaguars evened the score when Cole Billingsley singled through the right side.

Both pitchers navigated their way through the middle innings without surrendering a run, but Troy broke through in the eighth. Justin Friend reached first on a one-out single to center field. After a pop out by Joey Denison, Davis came up with a chance of atoning for his seventh inning error. He smashed an Avery Geyer pitch over the left field wall to give Troy a two-run lead heading into the ninth.

“That felt great,” Davis said. “I wanted to make it up for my teammates. It felt good to make up for it with that hit.”

Above anything else he was happy to get the hit and help Brown pick up a win in his final start at Riddle-Pace Field.

“He pitched his heart out,” Davis said. “Even after I made that mistake, he kept battling and in the next few innings he was lights out.”

Marc Skinner came in, in the ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season and secured the Trojan win.

The two teams will finish off the regular season this afternoon at 1 p.m. today for on Senior Day.