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The Troy Trojans (3-1) baseball team got 2024 off to a hot start with a 3-1 series victory over the SIU-Edwardsville (SIUE) Cougars at home.

Troy formally introduced fans to the revamped Riddle-Pace Field complete with new LED screen in the outfield and the completed upgrades in the baseball facilities, including the new RBI club and seating.

Troy started the weekend off with a 9-8 win over SIUE on Feb. 16 courtesy of a walk-off from Tremayne Cobb.

Troy trailed 8-4 heading into the seventh inning when Blake Sutton belted the first Trojan home run of the year to cut the lead to 8-6. In the bottom of the eighth Cobb hit an RBI double that drove Ethan Kavanagh home to cut the lead to 8-7. In the bottom of the ninth, Opelika native Brooks Bryan hit an RBI double that drove Peyton Watts home to tie the score.

In the bottom of the 10th, Cobb stepped to the plate and belted a single into center field that drove the reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Shane Lewis home for the winning run.

Cobb went 3-for-4 on the night with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs.

The Trojans utilized five pitchers on the night but Noah Manning got the win with two strikeouts and no hits or runs allowed in one inning on the mound. Grayson Stewart pitched four and 1/3 innings and fanned six batters, while giving up five hits and five earned runs.

Troy exploded to start off the doubleheader on Feb. 17 with a 24-13 win in seven innings. After setting the Troy single season home run record last year, Lewis earned his first homer of the year here and went 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run, a double, three RBIs and four runs. Meanwhile, Will Butcher went 4-for-4 with three doubles, nine RBIs and three runs. Myers also went 3-for-4 with four runs.

Logan Ross got the win on the mound, striking out four batters and giving up six hits and three earned runs in four innings pitched. Sutton had seven putouts on defense.

SIUE managed to bounce back with a 7-6 win in game three on Feb. 17. Trailing 7-4 going into the eighth inning, Troy managed to come within one run but couldn’t draw any closer. SIUE was led by a five-run third inning.

Myers had a career day at the plate for Troy, going 3-for-4 with three home runs, one double, three RBIs and three runs. Butcher also went 2-for-4 with a double and a run.

Jay Dill took the loss on the mound, striking out three batters, while giving up 10 hits and four earned runs. Luke Lyon pitched six innings and fanned seven batters, while giving up no hits or runs. Butcher also had nine putouts on defense, while Bryan earned 10 putouts.

The Trojans closed out the series by thumping SIUE by a score of 11-0 on Feb. 18. Butcher led Troy at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a grand slam home run, a double, five RBIs and one run. Kyle Mock and Aidan Gilroy also belted dingers for the Trojans in the win.

Clete Hartzog got the win on the mound with seven strikeouts and just one hit and no runs given up in five innings pitched. Myers had four putouts on defense, while Blake Sutton made his debut at catcher with seven putouts.

Butcher’s first weekend as a Trojan was a successful one as he was named D1 Baseball Hitter of the Week after going 9-for-16 at the plate in the series with 15 RBIs, one grand slam home run and five runs.

After a Tuesday matchup with Florida A&M on the road, the Trojans will return home for a series against Harvard Feb. 23-25.