ATHENS, Ga. (Interstat) — In a game defined by missed opportunities and resilient pitching, the Troy Trojans edged the Georgia Bulldogs 6-5 in 12 innings Wednesday afternoon at Athens Olympic Indoor Hall, securing a victory that defied pregame projections.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 7-6 Georgia win, with the Bulldogs given a 69.7% probability of victory based on its ELO system. Instead, Troy evened its season record at 4-4, while Georgia fell to 6-2.

The decisive run crossed without a hit in the 12th. With two outs and the bases loaded, Georgia reliever Brennan unleashed a wild pitch that allowed pinch-runner Markham to scamper home from third, breaking a 5-5 deadlock. The Trojans had loaded the bases via a walk to Blake Cavill, an intentional pass to Drew Nelson, and another walk to Nolan Book.

Troy’s bullpen then sealed the win. After Georgia put the tying run on base in the bottom of the 12th, Matt Dill entered and needed just two pitches to induce a game-ending groundout to shortstop, stranding the runner. Dill’s 2 2/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief capped a dominant collective effort from the Trojans’ relievers. Following starter Brock Tapper, who allowed two earned runs over 3 1/3 innings, Cooper Ellingworth, Dill, and others combined for 8 2/3 innings, surrendering only three runs despite issuing 10 walks.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in the bottom of the 11th inning, with the score tied 5-5. Georgia, playing at home, loaded the bases with only one out against Troy’s pitching committee. Pinch-hitter Johnson Col’s single had filled the bags, bringing the winning run 90 feet away. However, Troy escaped unscathed as third baseman Tre Phelps hit into a fielder’s choice force-out at home, and designated hitter Peeples struck out swinging to end the monumental threat. That missed opportunity set the stage for Troy’s unconventional winning rally an inning later.

Offensively, Troy’s 12 hits were keyed by multi-RBI performances from Book, who drove in three, and solo home runs from Cavill and Nelson. Georgia collected 10 hits, with Phelps driving in two runs during a frantic eighth-inning rally that saw the Bulldogs erase a 6-3 deficit.

Georgia’s comeback bid began in the eighth. Down three runs, the Bulldogs scored twice on a two-run single by Phelps. They then put the potential tying and winning runs in scoring position in the ninth, but a sharp line drive by Johnson Col was snared by Troy’s second baseman, who doubled off the runner at second to force extra innings.

Both teams used their pitching staffs extensively. Georgia’s Justin Byrd delivered a solid four-inning start, allowing one run, and Grant Edwards provided 1 2/3 scoreless frames late. Jordan Stephens also contributed 1 1/3 hitless innings for the Bulldogs.

Troy next travels to face East Carolina on Saturday, while Georgia opens a four-game home series against Oakland on Friday.