Baseball Battles Back but Falls in Ninth

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee tied the game in the eighth and ninth innings with solo homers from Matt Campbell and Rawley Bishop, but Troy scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth, with Brett Henry's RBI single scoring the winning run in a 4-3 Trojans victory over the Blue Raiders Saturday night at Riddle-Pace Field in Troy, Ala. Troy evened the three-game series at one game apiece heading into Sunday's series finale.

Middle Tennessee (6-9, 1-1 Sun Belt) fought back after falling behind early and again got good middle relief. The Blue Raiders were behind 2-0, cut it to 2-1 and then fell behind 3-1 before mounting a comeback.

Campbell hit his first home run of the season to leadoff the eighth and Bishop blasted his fifth round-tripper of the season to leadoff the ninth.

But Zach Barrett's errant throw to first on a ground ball by Josh Dew in the bottom of the ninth put the Trojans in business. Brett Weidlich was intentionally walked before a long fly ball to centerfield from Bryan Miller allowed Dew to move to third. Brett Henry, who entered the contest as a defensive replacement in the top of the ninth, hit a 2-2 pitch down the rightfield line for the game-winning hit, scoring Dew and evening the series at one game apiece.

Dew (3-0) went 3.1 innings of relief for Troy to pick up the victory, walking one and striking out seven. He allowed just two hits, homers to Campbell and Bishop that allowed the Blue Raiders to tie the contest.

Troy (10-7, 1-1) had 10 hits in the game and stranded 13 runners in the contest, giving Middle Tennessee an opportunity to get back in the game.

Nick Marrs (0-3), the last of three Blue Raider pitchers, took the loss, giving up an unearned run on three hits in two-plus innings of work.

Blue Raider starter Brad Robinson allowed two runs on five hits, walking three and striking out three in 4.1 innings of work. Reliever Josh Anderson gave up an unearned run on two hits in 2.1 innings of work, striking out one and walking two.

Troy starter Joe Hallahan gave up one run on six hits in 5.2 innings, walking one and striking out six.

Barrett collected two of Middle Tennessee's eight hits in the contest, while Campbell scored twice.

The Trojans got on the board first with a run in the second on just one hit. Miller singled to leadoff and moved to second on a passed ball. After a walk to Ramon Orsini, Beau Brooks bounced into a doubleplay, but Miller scored on a Robinson wild pitch for a 1-0 Trojans lead.

Orsini singled through the middle with one out in the fourth. Blue Raider shortstop Matt Ray was injured on the play diving for the ball and left the game with a dislocated shoulder.

Troy's Ian Craze led off the fifth with a solo home run to right for a 2-0 Trojans advantage. Edgar Ramirez later walked in the inning and Dew was hit, ending Robinson's day. Anderson came on to get the final two outs of the inning for Middle Tennessee, keeping the Troy lead at two runs.

The Blue Raiders cut the lead in half with a run in the sixth, starting with a one-out walk to Campbell, who moved to second on a wild pitch. Wayne Kendrick reached on a bloop single to put runners on the corners and Campbell scored on a groundout by Adam Warren. Blake McDade was hit, ending Hallahan's day, and Bishop flew out to the warning track to end the inning against Dew.

But Troy got the run back in the bottom of the inning. Orsini singled to leftcenter to leadoff and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brooks. Anderson then uncorked a wild pitch. Orsini hesitated going to third and catcher Drew Robertson scrambled to get the ball. Robertson threw to third to try and record the out, but his throw was high and sailed into leftfield, allowing Orsini to score.

Campbell cut the Troy lead back to a run with a solo homer to leadoff the eighth, his first of the season, just clearing the leftfield wall.

The Trojans tried to add to their lead in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff single from Orsini and a two-out single from Craze, but Ramirez flied out to deep center to end the inning.

The Blue Raiders tied the game in the ninth after a leadoff opposite field homer from Bishop, his fifth of the year.

The two teams conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m., with senior lefthander Shay Horseman drawing the start for the Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee begins a five-game homestand on Tuesday, hosting Southern Illinois at 3 p.m.

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