TROY, Ala. — Shane Lewis elevated his outstanding season to a record-breaking one.

The former Warren Central star hit his 27th home run of the season on Friday to set Troy’s single-season record. The two-run homer in the sixth inning helped the Trojans beat Appalachian State 7-5.

Lewis had gone six games without a home run — his longest drought of the season — before lifting a fly ball high into the air and over the right field wall. After the ball was retrieved, Lewis said he gave it to his mother.

“Over the past two or three weeks, pitchers have stayed away from the zone on me, kind of throwing east to west, off-speed and stuff like that,” Lewis said. “I knew the home run was going to come at some point, that they were going to make a mistake. It was just being ready and being prepared for that mistake, and being able to put a good swing on it.”

B6 | HISTORY!

Shane Lewis hits his 27th home run of the season to break the Troy single-season record and ties the ball game in the process! Someone save that baseball!

🏔️: 2
⚔️: 2#BoysOfTroy 🛡️ | #OneTROY⚔️⚾️ pic.twitter.com/5t7YyXYHDU

— Troy Baseball ⚔️ (@TroyTrojansBSB) May 20, 2023

Lewis leads the Sun Belt Conference in home runs, and remained one behind Florida’s Jac Caglianone for the NCAA Division I lead. Caglianone hit his 28th of the season in a 6-4 loss to Kentucky on Friday.

Lewis also improved his season RBI total to 75, which ranks in the top 10 nationally.

Although he’d gone nearly two weeks without a home run, Lewis said he was glad to get the record-breaker in front of a home crowd at Riddle-Pace Field.

“It’s so special. That’s why I kind of wasn’t fretting on it last week against Marshall,” Lewis said. “I was like, ‘So what I didn’t get it at Marshall? Hopefully I’ll be able to get it at home in front of this amazing fan base and all of these great people.’”

Troy (38-17, 18-11 Sun Belt) plays its regular-season finale Saturday at 2 p.m. against Appalachian State (26-23, 15-13). The Sun Belt Conference tournament starts Tuesday in Montgomery, Alabama.

Troy is in third place in the Sun Belt standings, and ranks No. 33 in RPI as it chases an NCAA Tournament berth.