TROY, Ala. – The Holy Cross baseball team came up short in both ends of a doubleheader against Troy University on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Riddle-Pace Field.
Senior first baseman
Nate Wolf drove in four runs on the day with a double and home run to lead the Crusaders (0-3).
GAME ONE
Troy 23, Holy Cross 3
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Wolf (3-for-4, double, home run, 3 RBI)
Petrushka (2-for-4)
Troy:
Hall (4-for-6, three runs scored, three RBI)
Kirk (3-for-4, double, home run, two RBI)
Gamble (3.0 IP, one hit, no runs, six strikeouts)
W: Brady Fuller (0-1)
L:
Tyler Mudd (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Holy Cross put a pair of runners on base in the top of the first after sophomore right fielder Jake McElroy and sophomore shortstop Sam Kirkpatrick drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. Wolf then delivered a three-run homer to right to give the Crusaders an early 3-0 edge.
- The Trojans used a seven-run bottom of the second inning to secure a lead over Holy Cross, and never looked back.
- The Crusaders loaded up the bases with two outs after Wolf and junior designated hitter Jordan Petrushka singled and freshman third baseman Nick Wang drew a walk, but a lineout ended the Holy Cross threat.
- Troy followed with a five-run fifth, a four-run sixth, four-run seventh and three-run eighth to put the game out of reach.
GAME TWO
Troy 11, Holy Cross 3
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Kirkpatrick (3-for-4, double, RBI)
Cooney (3-for-4, three doubles, RBI)
Wang (2-for-4, two doubles)
Neff (4.0 IP, no runs, one hit, one walk, two strikeouts)
Troy:
Summerhill (3-for-4, three runs scored, two RBI)
Stearns (3-for-4, two doubles, run scored)
W: Bay Witcher (1-0)
L:
Matt Remley (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Troy opened the scoring with a first-inning run and then added six more in the bottom of the second.
- Holy Cross got on the board in the top of the third, after freshman left fielder Connor Cooney doubled down the third base line and Kirkpatrick brought him home with an RBI double to left. Wolf then singled up the middle to drive in Kirkpatrick and make it a 7-2 ballgame.
- The Trojans countered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 11-2.
- Freshman right-hander Trevor Neff made his collegiate debut in the fifth and shut out the Trojans over the remainder of the contest.
- The Crusaders tacked on another run in the top of the seventh; Wang hit a leadoff double and was brought home by an RBI double from Cooney.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Cooney is the first Crusader to hit three doubles in a game since now-junior Ben Dellacono had three against Cal State Bakersfield on March 2, 2020.
- As a team, Holy Cross recorded six doubles in the second contest, also the most since that March 2, 2020 contest.
- Wolf's home run was the second of his career.
DUE UP:
- The Crusaders and Trojans round out the weekend series with a single game on Sunday, Feb. 20.
- First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET at Riddle-Pace Field.
