The Troy Trojans will challenge the Athens Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Tuesday, Troy got the win against Wellsboro by a conclusive 14-7. The Trojans haven't had any issues with the Hornets recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Frank Harper tossed a big game, tossing 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits.
At the plate, Joseph Frye was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Brendan Gilliland, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles.
Troy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .441. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Athens never let their opponents score on Saturday. They blew past Edison 10-0. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Wildcats.
Nick Grazul made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Grazul was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Eli Hobday was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Brady Flynn, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Athens pushed their record up to 9-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Troy, their victory bumped their record up to 7-4.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Troy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .464. However, it's not like Athens struggles in that department as they've averaged .514. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Troy suffered a grim 14-4 defeat to Athens in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Trojans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.