Troy Edges Southern Miss 6-5 in Sun Belt Series Opener

TROY, Miss. — Six Troy players recorded multiple hits as the visiting Trojans defeated No. 12 Southern Miss 6-5 Friday night in the opening game of a Sun Belt Conference series at Pete Taylor Park.

The Golden Eagles (17-5, 1-3 Sun Belt) saw their six-game winning streak against Troy end, dropping their second game in three contests. Troy improved to 10-11 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

Josh Pyne led the Trojans with three hits and two RBIs, while Aaron Piasecki, Jimmy Janicki, Blake Cavill, Nolan Book, and Sean Darnell each had two hits. Southern Miss jumped ahead early, scoring twice in the first inning. Kyle Morrison hit a solo home run, his first of two in the game, and Davis Gillespie tripled and scored on a Matthew Russo sacrifice fly.

The Trojans took the lead in the second inning after a three-run homer by Janicki, his eighth of the season. Morrison tied the game with his second home run of the game in the bottom of the inning. Troy regained the lead in the following inning with a bases-loaded double by Pyne, which drove in two runs.

Southern Miss rallied in the eighth, scoring two runs on a double by Drey Barrett. However, Troy’s Benjamin Stubbs pitched seven strong innings to earn the win, improving to 2-0. Cooper Ellingsworth earned his first save, tossing the final two innings.

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m., with Parrothead Day at Pete Taylor Park. Fans will enjoy special jerseys and themed gear, with proceeds from merchandise sales benefiting local charities. Gates open two hours prior, and a Jimmy Buffett tribute show, Lloyd Munn and the Forecasters, will kick off the festivities.

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