By Rob Kiser

Miami Valley Today

DAYTON — It may have not been the outcome the Troy baseball team hoped for.

But, the Trojans were thankful as always for the opportunity to play a game Sunday night at Day Air Ballpark — home of the Dayton Dragons.

Troy couldn’t hold a 2-1 lead early and lost 7-2.

“And I think all six of our seniors got to play the whole game,” Troy coach Ty Welker said. “We always look forward to this. We are not happy with the outcome, but is always a great experience for the kids playing down here.”

Troy had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Ryder Kirtley opened the game with a triple and scored on Zac Prouty’s fielder’s choice.

After Tecumseh used two walks and a hit batter to tied the game in the second, Troy again took the lead in the home second.

Connor Hutchinson reached on an error and came around to score on Eli Otten’s ground out.

But, from there Troy could not score again and Tecumseh used two more walks and hit a batter to score three runs in the third and take a 4-2 lead.

“I know they only outhit us 6-4, but you can’t give a team that many free passes,” Welker said. “I feel like the game was lost in the first three innings. It put pressure on our defense and our hitters. We had to deviate from our game plan at the plate.”

A bright spot was Ethan Rekow who entered the game in the third innings with the bases loaded an no out and the game tied 2-2.

He got a double play on the first batter that scored a run and Tecumseh added another run on a single by Cy Baisden.

Rekow went the rest of the way, allowing just five hits in his five innings and keeping the Arrows off the board until late, when they scored one run in the sixth and two in the seventh, one of which was unearned.

“Ethan (Rekow) did a great job,” Welker said. “That was probably twice the amount of innings he is used to pitching. He kept us in there.”

While Caleb Fogarty and Hutchinson would both double, Troy would hit a lot of balls in the air and Tecumseh centerfielder Seth Hale had a couple of web gems.

With two out and two on in the first inning, Owen Harlamert hit a ball that appeared to be ticketed for extra bases and Hale made the catch in right-center field after a long.

In the third, he came in to make a diving catch on a ball hit by Fogarty.

“In this park with all the space, when you hit a ball in the air it is going to get caught,” Welker said. “Especially, with a centerfielder like Tecumseh had.”

Tecumseh pitcher Tyler Dysinger hurled a four-hitter, striking out three.

Now, Troy must turn around things quickly.

Troy, 9-6, was scheduled to play at Tippecanoe Monday and host the Red Devils Tuesday.

Tippecanoe is 14-0.

“That is a whole different animal,” Welker said. “They are undefeated in the conference and outside the conference. You know we swept Sidney and split with Butler. I feel like we belong in the conversation (in the MVL) and hopefully, we will be up to the challenge.”

After another enjoying everything but the outcome in another opportunity to get to play at Day Air Ballpark.