Weekend/Monday Diamond Roundup
March 25, 2024 Miami Valley Today by Robbin Kiser
The Troy baseball team dropped to 1-2 with a 10-4 loss to Sayre Monday.
Matthew Hempker was 2-for-2 with two doubles.
Aidan Gorman, Hempker, Beckner and Evan Kaiser combined on a two-hitter, striking out six and walking 12.
Troy baseball completes sweep of West Carrollton
March 28, 2024 Miami Valley Today by Robbin Kiser
TROY — After a three-game trip to Kentucky to start the season, Troy continued to find Ohio baseball to its liking Thursday at the home opener at the Market Street Diamond.
The Trojans completed a sweep of West Carrollton, winning 20-1 in five innings to improve to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the MVL.
After freshman Jake Reinhardt no-hit the Pirates in five innings Wednesday, freshman Nathan McDowell had a strong start Thursday to get the win.
After a scoreless first inning, Troy broke things open with a nine-run second inning and never slowed down.
Matthew Hempker walked and Brady O’Leary singled to get things started.
With one out Carson Riddle walked to load the bases. Logan Akers had an infield single to score the first run. Aidan Gorman and Caleb Akins followed with two-run singles to make it 5-0. Akins would scored on a passed ball to make it 6-0. Ryder Kirtley would single and steal second and third. After Hempker walked, O’Leary would drill a two-run single to make it 8-0. Riddle would double off the fence to make it 9-0 before being thrown out at third to end the innings.
Troy would score three more runs in the third.
Akins had a double in the inning and Kirtley had a RBI single and O’Leary followed with a two-run single.
The Trojans would add eight more runs in the fourth.
Rylan Block and Hayden Frey had RBI singles. Hempker had a RBI double, Kirtley would score on a wild pitch and Zach Rhoades had RBI single. One run scored on an error and Reinhardt capped the rally with a two-run single to make it 20-1.
O’Leary was 3-for-3 with four RBIs for the Trojans and Block was 2-for-2.
Akins was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and Gorman was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Kirtley was 2-for-4, Reinhardt had two RBIs and Hempker and Riddle doubled.
McDowell pitched the first three innings and combined with Hempker on a five-hitter, striking out eight.
The Trojans were scheduled to host Xenia Friday and Coldwater Saturday.
Troy baseball improves to 4-2 with win over Xenia Friday
March 29, 2024 Miami Valley Today by Robbin Kiser
TROY — Troy baseball coach Ty Welker knows there will be tougher games ahead.
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.
“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.”
Caleb Akins pitched four shutout innings and combined with Liam Evilsizor on a six-hitter, striking out nine and walking two.
“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.”
The first 10 Trojan batters reached base in the opening inning as they took a 6-0 lead.
After Aidan Gorman was hit by a pitch, Akins helped himself with a RBI triple to get Troy on the board.
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.
“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.”
Troy scored two runs in the second, two runs in the third and one in the fourth.
In the second, Ryder Kirtley hit his third home run of the season and Matthew Hempker would double and score on a wild pitch.
In the third, Kirtley would double and score and Carson Riddle had a sacrifice fly.
In the fourth, Gorman turned a short fly ball to right field into a triple and scored on a single by Evilsizor.
Kirtley was 3-for-4 in the game and O’Leary was 2-for-3 and the Trojans had another five inning win.
“I will go to battle with this group anytime,” Welker said. “They are really doing a good job.”
And look forward to tougher games in the future.