Trojans take series over Louisiana wit walk-off grand slam

In a thrilling finale, Jimmy Janicki smashed a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to take the series from the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, 2-1, last weekend. 

"It was bases loaded, one out,” Janicki said. “I was just trying to do anything I could to get that run in. 

“He got me 1-0, and then I knew he was going to fastball. They've been throwing me fastballs all series. Honestly, I didn't know it was a home run. I thought it was just going to be a popout, but it cleared the wall." 

Troy started out the weekend strong with a win over the Cajuns, coming back from a 6-2 deficit with a five-run sixth inning. Troy took an early lead 2-1 in the first, and both teams were scoreless for the next three, until the Cajuns put up four runs in the fifth. 

"I thought both sides were incredibly competitive,” said head coach Skylar Meade. “It's what you talk about over the last couple of days as you're preparing for the weekend.” 

Louisiana added insurance in the sixth, but the Trojans tacked on five to take the lead. The Cajuns turned to the bullpen for help, bringing in left-hander Ty Roman. 

Roman walked Drew Nelson, hit Nolan Book and walked Sean Darnell to bring in another run for Troy. Houston Markham’s sacrifice fly cut the lead to one, and Aaron Piasecki delivered with a two-RBI triple to deep right-center to take the win, 7-6. 

Saturday, the Trojans dropped game two despite a three-run seventh to cut the lead to one. 

"Some of the lapses early come back to bite you because you're in fight mode,” Meade said. “There's no conversation to be had about what level of fight we're going to give.” 

Nelson put Troy on the board with a solo shot, and the hitting continued in the sixth with an RBI double from Caden Reeves. A Meier two-run homer over the Trojan Wall cut the lead to one, but Louisiana would hold Troy scoreless for the eighth and ninth to close the game. 

Sunday was one for the books, as the Trojans came back from a six-run deficit, 9-3, to defeat the Ragin Cajuns, 15-11. 

Louisiana got on the board first with three runs in the first inning off Noah Thigpen. Piasecki helped put the Trojans in the game with a solo shot in the first, but Roman would keep Troy scoreless for three innings. 

With the Ragin’ Cajuns up by six, Janicki doubled down the line to bring in Piasecki from second. Meier tripled to bring in Janicki to make it 7-3.  

Louisiana would score two more to extend the lead 9-3, but the Trojans would go on a three-inning slugfest to score 12 across those frames. 

The hitting started in the seventh: after Troy loaded the bases with singles, Nelson doubled to right center, and all three baserunners reached home to close the gap to three. A pair of singles from Sean Darnell and Piasecki brought the Trojans within one. 

With two on base, Josh Pyne slammed a two-RBI double to right center to put the Trojans in the lead for the first time this game. 

Nelson, who was named the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Week, took the mound for the Trojans from left field. Louisiana’s Steven Spalitta homered off Nelson to put the Ragin Cajuns back in the lead, 11-10, but Nelson would respond in the bottom of the frame with a bomb to tie the game, his third of the season. 

“I’m just doing whatever's asked of me,” Nelson said. “Whether it's hitting or pitching.  

“ I'm going to step up and do it." 

Nelson held Louisiana scoreless in the top of the ninth with a flyout, strikeout, and groundout. Piasecki got on base early with a single, and two batters were walked after to load the bases for Troy. 

The stage was set and Janicki was up to bat. After taking the first pitch, Janicki smashed the ball to left-center to complete a grand slam and take the walk-off win, 15-11. 

After the Trojans take on Jacksonville State at home on Tuesday, the team heads to Jack Cook Field to take on Marshall in a weekend series.