Super Bowl Update

***Troy second baseman Tyler Vaughn has been named one of the Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week. Vaughn got his first RBI last week against Samford, then went 5-for-5 in his first start at Bethune-Cookman on Saturday and had three hits on Sunday, both Troy wins.

You can read the Troy release HERE.

Vaughn is hitting .727, and that astronomical batting average is the only thing that's surprising because you never expect anyone to hit that high. The redshirt sophomore, who is on a full academic scholarship, is Troy's best defensive second baseman and coaches believed he could still hit well enough to keep things going. He just now finally got his shot and Pierce said "no doubt about it" when asked if he'd remain the starting second

"He's played very well for us (in practice) offensively and defensively," Pierce said. "He works his tail off, he's stayed with it and he gets after it every day. He's a guy you've got to pull for."

I'll have a story on Vaughn's hot start in the Tuesday Dothan Eagle.

***Bad break for Troy junior pitcher Adam Purdy. He was going across the street from the team's hotel in Daytona to get something to eat and he stepped on the curb wrong, broke some bones on his foot, and will have surgery tomorrow, Pierce said.

Purdy, a fourth-year junior who redshirted at Auburn and spent two years in junior college, had started off slow, but was certainly going to get more chances. However, Pierce said this injury and rehab may keep him out for the entire season, though there's a small chance he could be back late.

"When you start to lose guys crossing the street, you wonder what's next?" Pierce said. "It was six-lane street and fairly busy. I had even gone across it a few times. We thought it might be just a sprain. He was jogging across, jumped on the median and just rolled it."

***Redshirt freshman Jeremy McGowan got the start Sunday and pitched into the fourth inning. Pierce said he didn't let it loose like he did in an inning of relief at Southern Miss, but pitched well enough to stay in consideration for future starts. "I was still proud of how he performed," Pierce said.

***Pierce said junior Chris Fisher would start on the mound against UAB on Tuesday, and it's still TBA for the game Wednesday at home against East Carolina.

***Younger guys like Clay Holcomb, Jo-El Bennett, Hayden Hillyer and Jake Harrell got some big at-bats over the weekend, especially the last three guys. Pierce wasn't pleased with some veterans underperforming and put the younger guys in. Pierce said it's still probably going to flip-flop at some positions based on hot streaks and matchups.

***Troy is off to a 6-4 start. UAB is 8-3, and the Blazers won their season opener at national power Clemson before losing the final two of the series, but this is another big midweek test for Troy. UAB's stats HERE. Looks like the Blazers aren't that great offensively, but are pitching well and defending.