TROY, Ala. – The Hartford baseball team dropped a 9-5 decision in its opening game at Troy on Friday night. The Hawks were led by a pair of home runs from Ryan Lukach and Billy Walker. Hartford will continue its four-game weekend with two games on Saturday against Southeast Louisiana (1:00 p.m.) and Troy (6:00 p.m.).

Hartford finished with six total hits, two each for Lukach and rookie Chris DelDebbio. Brady Sheetz and Walker added the other two hits. On the hill, Brian Hunter suffered his third loss of the season as he pitched just 3.1 innings allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits. He also walked four batters and strikes out five.

In the top of the first, the Hawks couldn't take advantage of a pair of free passes as Trey Stover and Sheetz were both hit by a pitch. The Trojans recovered and got out of the jam as Trojans starter Tanner Hicks forced James Alfonso into a double play. In the bottom half of the inning, the Trojans did capitalize on two free passes issued by Hawks starter Hunter and a throwing error on the shortstop.  

Hartford would even things in the top of the second with a Lukach home run as he took the fourth pitch he saw over the center field fence. The long ball for Lukach was his second of the season and just the second for the Hawks in 2013.

After the Hawks went down in order in the top of the third, the Trojans had six straight players reach safely after Hunter forced the first batter of the inning into a groundout. Trae Santos, Kyle Brown and Peyton all finished with RBI's in the inning as the trio all reached on singles.

The Hawks would take two of those runs back in the top of the fourth as DelDebbio smacked his first three-bagger to right center field. His seventh hit of the season drove in Alfonso who walked and Lukach who singled through the right side for his second hit in as many at bats. The Trojans answered those two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Hawks reliever Jacob Mellin gave up a pair of hits. The Trojans opened up their lead to six runs in with two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh.

Hartford made a comeback run in the ninth taking two runs back on the second long ball for the visitors, this one from Walker. His first home run of the season sailed over the left field fence and drove in Sheetz who doubled to lead off the inning.

The Hawks will continue a four-game weekend in Alabama with two games on Saturday. Hartford will open at 1:00 p.m. against Southeast Louisiana before facing the host Trojans for the second time at 6:00 p.m.