In the District 25-2A rivals’ April 8 rematch, lightning showed up just in time in the sixth inning as Troy escaped with a 5-2 win.

Today’s 7:30 p.m. rubber match between the Trojans (18-9) and the third-ranked Eagles (25-5) in a Class 2A Region IV quarterfinal baseball playoff game at Belton’s Tiger Field likely won’t resemble the first two.

First, inclement weather isn’t in the forecast.

Second, Troy ace Jake McMurtry - who matched Salado’s Sam VanHoozer with a one-hitter in a 2-0 Eagles victory last year - will make his first start this season against his 25-2A counterparts.

Most important, the Trojans have come of age since those two games.

“We didn’t really know each other as well at the beginning of the season,” said senior shortstop Josh Fredrick, who leads Troy with a .463 average and 38 runs batted in.

“We just started trusting each other and having faith in each other. There are a lot of younger guys who have really stepped up their games this year. They stayed late (at practice), worked hard and showed us they could contribute.”

Seniors Fredrick, Jordan Hayes and McMurtry have paved the way. Fredrick jumpstarted Troy’s offense in the first-round playoff game against Trinity with a three-run home run. Center fielder Hayes is batting .384 while leading the team in runs and stolen bases from the No. 9 spot in the batting order.

McMurtry, who has a 9-2 record and a 3.04 earned-run average, has thrown every inning in the playoffs and will take the ball for the third straight game.

Their leadership has rubbed off on players such as sophomore Justin Gregory. The Trojans’ catcher is 6-for-7, including his first two triples of the season, in the playoff wins over Trinity and Danbury to raise his average to .415. He’s also gunned down three would-be base stealers and tagged out one at home plate.

“Playing last year, I didn’t know what to expect and was kind of nervous,” Gregory said. “After having a season of experience, the coaches expect more of me and the players you played with last year expect more of you.”

Junior Ryan Dach had the game-tying RBI single and scored the winning run against Danbury, sophomore Trey Collier scored the game-tying run against the Panthers, and sophomores Dylan Sebek and Zach Lynch also have chipped in.

“We have more confidence in each other now knowing we’ve played all these district games and come out with wins,” Hayes said. “It’s just like in football. We didn’t know how we were going to start the season. That’s what we did in baseball. We didn’t know how it was going to be. We had to rely on each other knowing there was no ‘I’ in team.”

Whereas Troy’s mix of veterans and newcomers have meshed at the right time, Salado’s experienced bunch has been consistently rolling throughout.

Kevin Jackson (.488 average), Seth Collins (.471), Matt Fritsch and Justin Schiller (.442 each) and Johnny Nix (.400) are the major components of the Eagles’ high-scoring offense that averages 10.2 runs per game, including 20 on 16 hits against Troy in their first encounter.

In Game 2, the Trojans overcame a 2-0 deficit to score five runs in the bottom of the first inning. A walk, a hit batter and an unfortunate bounce on a ground ball to third base cost Salado.

“I think the key for us is defense (tonight),” said Salado coach Melvin Bates, whose team is making its third straight trip to the regional quarterfinals. “If we play good defense, limit the errors, then that’s the key.”

Senior left-hander Van Hoozer, who is 8-2 with a 1.75 ERA, has started the last three meetings against Troy, including both this season. He went four innings and allowed two runs and four hits in the blowout victory before giving up five runs and eight hits in the loss.

If VanHoozer doesn’t get the nod, senior righty Jackson (7-2, 1.94) will see his first pitching action against the Trojans since he beat them 6-4 last March.

Whichever pitcher starts, Bates knows the Eagles must contain the hot-hitting duo of Gregory and Fredrick.

To hold down Salado’s offensive juggernaut that has a .380 average and 30 home runs, the Trojans will need sound efforts from McMurtry and the defense - the same formula the Trojans have been thriving on.

“You’re going to have to hit the ball, get the bunts down and have to be on your ‘A’ game,” Troy coach Steve Sebesta said. “Everyone knows you have to field a ground ball and get the clutch hits and it will come down to whatever team shows up ready to do that.”

The Salado-Troy winner will advance to next week’s regional semifinals to play the victor of the best-of-three series between Odem and Geronimo Navarro.

cmeister@temple-telegram.com