TROY — Given the way things looked hours earlier, just getting in a scheduled baseball game at the Troy Market Street

diamond was a victory after Xenia made the long bus trip north.

Winning 14-3 in five innings Thursday was just an added bonus.

“Who thought we were going to get this game in three hours ago?,” Troy baseball coach Ty Welker asked. “I am pretty

sure there were not many games played around here tonight.”

And once the game got started at 6:07 p.m., Troy made quick quick work of Xenia in the first two innings and coasted to

the win.

The Trojans plated 13 runs in their first two at bats — and at the same time, Xenia didn’t hit a ball in fair territory until the

third inning.

“This is one of the few times we have come out like that in our first at bat,” Welker said. “We hit the ball where you are

supposed to

hit it and that just changes everything when you do that.”

Troy took advantage of three walks in the first inning to score four runs.

Ryder Kirtley had a RBI single, Hayden Frey hit the ball to the right side on a fielder’s choice to score a run and two runs

scored on a wild pitch.

“Their pitcher is not a bad pitcher,” Welker said. “He just had some trouble with his control.”

Troy added nine more runs in the second inning.

Nick Kawecki started the rally with a double.

Kirtley had a two-run double and a RBI single in the inning, Eli Donnan and Connor Hutchinson had RBI singles, Caleb

Adkins had a fielder’s choice to score a run, Trayce Mercer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run and

Kawecki walked with the bases loaded to force in a run as Troy sent 14 batters to the plate.

At the same time, Andrew Helman was on fire on the mound.

He had five strikeouts in the first two innings and Frey caught a foul pop near the fence behind first base.

“Andrew (Helman) came out and had a lot of strikeouts early,” Welker said.

Troy’s final run scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaweicki and the Trojans took a 14-1 lead to the fifth inning.

Like Monday against West Carrollton, the game ended on a bizarre play.

With the bases loaded, Zach Salyers sent a fly ball over the Troy outfield’s head.

While two runners scored on the play, the trail two runners were both tagged out between third and home, making the

final score 14-3.

“There was a lot that happened on that play,” Welker said.

Helman and Evan Kaiser combined on a two-hitter on the mound, striking out eight, walking four and hitting a batter.We

On Monday against West Carrollton, Troy was trailing 3-2 going to the seventh inning when Kirtley had a RBI single to tie

it and scored the winning run on Eli Smith’s fielder’s choice.

In the home seventh, West Carrollton had a runner one first with two out when the Pirates hit a line drive into the outfield.

But, Troy thew the batter out at second base before the lead runner had a chance to score.

“It looked like they were going to tie it and they never got a chance,” Welker said. “It was crazy.”

The net result is Troy is 6-0 heading to Miamisburg Thursday.

“That is good — we have won the games I thought we should win,” Welker said. “We have won in a myriad of ways. I prefer

this one (after two straight one run wins).”

After calling it a victory just to get the game in.