Troy baseball improves to 4-2 with win over Xenia Friday

March 29, 2024  Miami Valley Today by Robbin Kiser

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TROY — Troy baseball coach Ty Welker knows there will be tougher games ahead.

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But, with a young team — after graduating 16 seniors a year ago — Welker is not complaining after a third straight win in five innings in three days to improve to 4-2 overall and go 3-0 in the MVL.

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“We can only deal with what the other team puts out there,” Welker said after an 11-1 win over Xenia at the Market Street Diamond Friday. “I expect a close game (when Troy travels to Xenia Monday). When you lose 16 seniors, you are really not sure what to expect.”

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Caleb Akins pitched four shutout innings and combined with Liam Evilsizor on a six-hitter, striking out nine and walking two.

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“I am not sure Caleb (Akins) had his best stuff today,” Welker said. “He had to grind those first two innings and he did a great job battling out there. And we didn’t want Liam (Evilsizor) to have to throw three or four innings, in case we needed him on Monday.”

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The first 10 Trojan batters reached base in the opening inning as they took a 6-0 lead.

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After Aidan Gorman was hit by a pitch, Akins helped himself with a RBI triple to get Troy on the board.

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Gorman would scored on a wild pitch, Brady O’Leary would drill a two-run double, Evan Kaiser had a RBi single and Gorman would be hit by a pitch for the second time in inning — this time with the bases loaded to force in a run to make it 6-0 before the rally ended.

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“Our pitching has been pretty good,” Welker said. “The two games we lost in Kentucky, we had a lot of walks. When you walk people you are going to get beat. Defensively we are as good as we have been and we are doing a better job hitting. Especially in the first inning tonight.”

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Troy scored two runs in the second, two runs in the third and one in the fourth.

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In the second, Ryder Kirtley hit his third home run of the season and Matthew Hempker would double and score on a wild pitch.

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In the third, Kirtley would double and score and Carson Riddle had a sacrifice fly.

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In the fourth, Gorman turned a short fly ball to right field into a triple and scored on a single by Evilsizor.

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Kirtley was 3-for-4 in the game and O’Leary was 2-for-3 and the Trojans had another five inning win.

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“I will go to battle with this group anytime,” Welker said. “They are really doing a good job.”

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And look forward to tougher games in the future.