Tyler Ray Blog: IT'S BEEN A SPECIAL YEAR

IT'S BEEN A SPECIAL YEAR
Tyler Ray
June 2, 2011
2:34 PM

editor's note: Tyler, along with two other Trojans were named All-Americans by Louisville Slugger and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on Thursday. Congrats.

In my first blog, I mentioned why we were going to be a special team this year. We have done that and more. This is has been a memorable year for our team and me individually:

-We continuously gave the home crowd something to cheer for going 30-5 at “The Pace”. We won every series that was played at home. That is something to be proud of as a Trojan baseball fan. That isn’t possible without all the support we received every game day.

- After getting off to a red hot start, we were able to find ourselves in Top 25 polls all across the country. We were the first team in Troy Athletic history to produce a Top 25 ranking. That was special for our team to accomplish that and was nice to know we were getting credit for our work on the field. Not to mention the fact, seeing “#__ Troy Trojans” beside our names in articles, pre-game notes, etc., was sweet! The coolest part about all that was when the Auburn game (the beat down) was televised on CSS and the scoreboard on TV had #20 by the Trojans for the first time ever. That will instantly gain respect across the country from college baseball fans.

- This team has had to face more adversity than any team I’ve been apart of at Troy. Losing a 90+ inning, senior leader, weekend starter, Drew Hull to surgery. Playing nine straight games against #2 teams in the conference trying to hold the #1 spot. Traveling to ULM in late May while they are fighting to qualify for the Sun Belt tournament, in which they hosted. Finishing the regular season at South Alabama during the final weekend of Coach Steve Kitrells career with thousands in attendance to support. This is all while being chased by the hottest team in country, FIU, who rolled off 18 straight wins…. just to come up 0.5 games short of the ring. Clinching the regular season crown on the final day couldn’t have scripted any better.

- Now we are heading to Nashville, TN in the Vanderbilt regional with an excited bunch of guys ready to keep the season alive. Nobody said the road to Omaha would be easy. Cant wait to see the Trojan Nation in attendance. Its going to be a week to remember!

“ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Tyler Ray #12
@troytrojan12