That recognizability comes with being the Trojans’ starting quarterback for the past two and a half seasons and son of former major league pitcher and Temple College baseball coach Craig McMurtry.

But McMurtry, a senior at Troy, is giving the community another reason to distinguish him from a crowd.

For the third straight round of the Class 2A baseball playoffs, the Trojans will play one game instead of a series when they battle District 25-2A rival and No. 4 Salado (25-5) in a Region IV quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Belton’s Tiger Field.

And for the third straight week, they will give the ball and put their season in the hands of McMurtry, their ace pitcher.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said McMurtry, who has a 9-2 record and a 3.04 earned-run average for 18-9 Troy. “It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. It’s really good knowing my coach has confidence in me every time. I don’t think you see that very often, that the same guy goes every game.

“I grew up being known as Craig McMurtry’s son and now it’s starting to be Jake McMurtry instead of Craig’s son.”

Having someone as dependable as McMurtry to deal with pressure playoff situations certainly has simplified Troy coach Steve Sebesta’s decision-making.

“That’s a big plus,” Sebesta said. “The kids play well behind him. He’s a go-to guy and that’s why we’re playing one game. We feel like he wants the ball and is ready to take the ball.”

Being the focal point of Troy’s success is nothing new for McMurtry, who stands 6-6.

He took over as starting quarterback late in the 2005 season and helped lead Troy to the 2A Division I regional quarterfinals. In 2007, he and the Trojans went 9-3, the fifth-most wins in school history.

This season, McMurtry earned two key victories against Rosebud-Lott that helped Troy clinch the district’s final playoff spot.

“I know there are other guys that want it,” McMurtry said. “We all know that everyone wants the ball, and if something happens, we know someone else is waiting in line and ready to take control.”

McMurtry has pitched every inning in the Trojans’ two playoff wins, throwing 153 pitches against Trinity and 111 against Danbury.

He’s been dominant at times and shaky in others, but he has battled through jams and managed to keep his team in each game.

“He’s going to give us a good chance to win,” senior shortstop Josh Fredrick said.

Becoming a regular starter for the first time last season, McMurtry has progressed this season by relying more on his secondary pitches to get batters out.

“I’m able to mix it up a lot more,” said McMurtry, who has pitched more than 47 percent of Troy’s innings. “Last year I was just trying to get fastballs and get the ball in play and let my defense work. Coach has a little more confidence in my curveball and changeup in striking more people out this year.”

McMurtry has struck out 106 batters this season, including 16 in the postseason. Against district champion Salado, a team he threw a one-hitter against last season, strikeouts won’t come as easily. McMurtry will have to rely on his defense, whose much-improved play behind him is the biggest reason the Trojans still are playing.

“You have to learn how to get those guys out in other ways and I think Jake does a good job of doing that,” Sebesta said. “He keeps the ball down and gets a lot of groundball outs. That’s all you can ask for from your pitcher - keep the ball down and give your defense a chance to play.”

NOTES: Salado and Troy split their regular-season series. Salado pounded out 16 hits and scored 11 times in the second inning to rout Troy 20-2 in five innings in the first game. . . . In the second game, Troy used pitchers Dylan Sebek, Zach Lynch and Fredrick to beat Salado 5-2. The game was called after five innings due to heavy lightning even though Salado had scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to lead 9-5 and was still batting. . . . McMurtry and Salado’s Sam VanHoozer each threw one-hitters in the Eagles’ 2-0 victory over the Trojans on April 9, 2007.

cmeister@temple-telegram.com