BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Troy University baseball team plated four runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 10-7 lead on its way to a 10-8 victory over Samford Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
With the loss, Samford falls to 20-22 on the season. Troy improves to 29-14 with the win.
 
Samford was led in the loss by Will David, going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Garrett Howe, Stephen Klein, Colton Ledbetter and Matthew Strand also had two hits each for Samford. Blake Bortak homered and drove in three runs in a 1-for-2 performance. Carson Hobbs (1-3) pitched 1.1 innings, allowing four runs on two hits to take the loss on the mound for the Bulldogs.
 
For Troy, Kyle Mock went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Calen Bartolero and Cameron Gray also had two hits apiece for the Trojans. Marquez Oates (2-1) pitched 2.0 hitless innings of relief to earn the win for Troy. Grayson Stewart tossed the final inning to pick up his fifth save of the season.
 
After Troy took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, Samford answered with four runs in the bottom of the second. Joseph Salvo singled up the middle to drive in David to knot the score at 1-1. Bortak later homered to left-center field with Salvo and Strand on base for a 4-1 Samford lead.
 
Troy tied the score with three runs in the top of the third inning at 4-4. After Troy took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning, Samford tied the score with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Klein scored from third base when David reached on a fielder's choice, knotting the score at 5-5. Samford then took a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning when Howe doubled to center field to drive in Bortak.
 
Both teams scored a run in the seventh inning, giving Samford a 7-6 advantage. Samford's run in the seventh was scored when Maurice Hampton Jr. singled up the middle to drive in Ledbetter.
 
Samford held the 7-6 lead going into the top of the ninth inning. Troy, however, plated four runs in the inning to take a 10-7 lead. Justin Kelley, William Sullivan and Mock drove in a run each, while Gray scored on an error as the Trojans took a three-run advantage. Samford plated one final run in the bottom of the ninth inning when David doubled to right-center field to drive in Klein to make the final score 10-8.
 
Samford will host ETSU in a three-game Southern Conference series this weekend. The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Admission to all three games is free.


 
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