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TROY, Ala. – The Troy University pitching staff collected 15 strikeouts to lead the Trojans to a 7-0 victory over Northern Kentucky University in the season opener for both programs on Friday night at Riddle Pace Field.
Tanner Hicks recorded seven scoreless innings to start the season with a win for Troy (1-0). He scattered three hits on the night and struck out nine batters while only walking one. Jeremy McGowan pitched two scoreless innings of relief and finished with three strikeouts, while Marc Skinner struck out three Norse in the final inning.
David Hall went 3-for-3 with two runs to lead the Trojan offense. He finished one triple shy of the cycle and also reached base by being hit by a pitch.
After two scoreless innings, Garrett Pitts hit a double down the left-field line in the bottom of the third, and a two-base error on the play allowed him to come home to put Troy on the scoreboard first.
David Hall stretched the Trojan advantage to 2-0 with a two-out home run over the left-center wall the next frame. Trevin Hall drew the first walk of the game and proceeded to steal second base before
Cody Cooper walked Kyle Brown. NKU, however, was able to escape the inning without allowing any additional runs, as Matthew Howard flew out to
Ryan LeFevers.
NKU (0-1) threatened in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs,
Kyle Colletta drew a walk from Hicks.
Brad Bohlen doubled to right-center field, but the Trojans got the ball back into the infield quickly and Colletta was unable to score before the inning ended with a strikeout.
Troy tacked on an extra run in the bottom of the sixth when David Hall scored once more after being hit by a pitch and back-to-back singles by Trevin Hall and Brown. The Trojans also added four runs in the eighth frame for the final margin of the game.
Trevin Hall and Brown each went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Troy, which committed two errors. Brown added a double for the offense, while Pitts finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, run and RBI.
Jordan Procyshen,
Logan Spurlin,
Cody Kuzniczci and
Brad Bohlen recorded the hits for NKU. Bohlen's first collegiate hit went for an extra base, and Kuzniczci doubled for the Norse, who stranded six runners.
Cooper (0-1) surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits over seven innings of work for the Norse. The junior left-hander struck out one batter and only walked two.
The two teams take the field tomorrow for a doubleheader, with first pitch for Game 1 scheduled for 2 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a 2 p.m. start time as well. Links to live stats and John Asalon's broadcast will be available at nkunorse.com.
