Following Troy’s 11-6 loss to Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference championship game, the Trojans rode back to Troy wondering what their tournament fate would be. Many were confident and it was announced Monday that they would indeed join the field of 64 teams.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Troy senior pitcher Andrew Crane. “We have to get out there and get after it like it’s any other game. It’s the regionals and we are all on cloud nine, but we have to take care of business.”

Despite the loss, Crane and many of his teammates were confident in the team’s inclusion.

“I want to say we were nervous, but after the loss we were all kind of looking around at each other thinking there is no way they can keep us out,” Crane said. “We are good and we have 40 plus wins. We all had that gut feeling that we are going to get in the tournament and make some noise.”

Crane believes with the type of offense trying to score runs for his pitching staff, the Trojans have a chance to turn some heads.

“We are pretty confident,” Crane said. “We can hit with anybody in the country, we can pitch with anybody in the country and we all believe in each other. That’s a great formula for success.”

Troy native Joey Denison finished the season as the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and now he his bringing his hometown team to the regionals.

“It’s really exciting,” Denison said. “I am really happy for our team. I think we were really deserving coming into this. We knew we were one of those teams on the bubble, but everybody was pretty confident and though we were deserving of a spot. I am glad the committee saw it like that.”

Denison has been part of an offense that has averaged seven runs per game since May 11.

“I don’t think it was anything individual for any of our players,” Denison said. “I think it was one through nine. We had everybody picking up the slack whenever it needed to be done. It hasn’t come from just one or two players; it’s been coming from all the players that have been playing.”

The Trojans have won 9 out of their last 11 and for that reason Denison believes his team could be dangerous.

“We had a great run in the conference tournament,” Denison said. “I think that gives us a little bit of momentum and a little bit of confidence going into the regional. Hopefully we can keep the ball moving.”

Senior pitcher Daren Osby has participated in a junior college world series before coming to Troy. He expects a bigger atmosphere and opportunity.
“I have been in a JUCO World Series, but this definitely tops it,” Osby said. “This is everything you dreamed about as a kid. You watch it on TV growing up. You see all these guys in the tournament. I thought I was calm, but when I saw our name pop up I felt like a little kid in a candy store.”