For the third time this season the No. 19-ranked Troy Trojans (11-2) went up against an SEC school and on Wednesday, fell 3-1 to the No. 17-ranked undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) in Tuscaloosa. 

It was a true pitching duel between the two sides as the Tide and Trojans gave up just 13 hits and four runs combined. Troy’s Adam Falinski pitched five innings and struck out one batter, while giving up just six hits and three earned runs in his time on the mound. The difference, though, came when Alabama’s All-SEC shortstop Justin Lebron blasted a two-run home run in the third inning. 

For Troy, Jimmy Janicki went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Jaob Wax scored the lone Trojan run. Blake Cavill also hit a double. Colby Frieda pitched three innings and struck out a batter, while giving up no hits or runs. 

For Alabama, Will Hodo went 2-for-4 with a run, while Lebron hit a homer. JT Blackwood pitched four innings and struck out a pair of batters, while giving up five hits and one earned run. Matthew Heiberger also pitched four innings and gave up just one hit and no runs with three strikeouts. 

Neither Troy or Alabama committed a fielding error. For Troy, Cavill tallied 12 putouts, while Alabama’s Hodo earned 12 putouts, two assists and one double play. 

“I thought our pitching and defense were so solid,” Troy Coach Skylar Meade said. “We’re locked in on all fronts there, making plays and making some tough plays. We got, got a little bit offensively. Blackwood kind of skated around some hits – we couldn’t get that big game-changing hit. Heiberger kept running that fastball in, and we couldn’t hit the barrel in the right spot.”

Troy will look to rebound this weekend with a three-game road series against USC Upstate March 7-9. The Trojans play USC Upstate at 7 p.m. on March 7, face off at 1 p.m. on March 8 and close out the series at noon on March 9. All three games will stream on ESPN+.