Taylor Escapes Deficit to Sweep Pilots
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MISHAWAKA, Ind. – A change in location did not hinder the Trojans in their sweep against Bethel (5-16, 2-9 CL), 11-0 (5) and 6-4.
Friday’s sweep improved TU to 17-4 overall and 9-0 in Crossroads League play, marking the best 20-game start since 2014 and its first 9-0 league start in program history.
High-powered offense earned the Trojans a win in game one. Courtney Moriarty hit a bomb to deep right field on her first pitch to give the Purple and Gold a 3-0 advantage. Taylor Wilson would score just one out later on a single to left field from Erin Cozad.
The scoring party did not end in the first inning for Taylor. TU scored five runs on six hits in the second inning alone. Defense was not an issue in the defensive half of the inning for the Trojans as TU grounded out all three batters for the Pilots.
Moriarty brought in four runs over the course of the first game.
Jessica Doctor and Cassy Lewis stood in the circle for the Trojans and the duo combined to only gave up three hits in the course of five innings.
TU had three home-runs in the first two innings, scoring 11 runs in total on 12 hits.
The Trojans have mercy-ruled four opponents in nine league games.
Game two was a different story but same outcome for the Trojans. This time, the Purple and Gold found themselves down three runs before getting on the board. The early deficit was only the second time this season that the Trojans have trailed in Crossroads League play.
That all changed when Kristin Mihalic stood at the plate. In the top of the fourth with two outs, bases loaded and a 3-1 count, Mihalic hit a grand slam to take TU’s first lead of the ball game.
The home run derby against Bethel did not end with Mihalic’s grand slam, as Moriarty homered once more in the top of the fifth.
Mihalic would score the insurance run in the top of the seventh on a Taylor Wilson single.
Maddi Evans would come in relief and pick up the save for the Trojans in the seventh. Three up and three down went the Pilot batters to give Taylor (17-4, 9-0 CL) its ninth league win of the season in as many games.
TU had four different players hit a home-run in its league sweep. Hannah Castor, Lauren Kanai, Mihalic and Moriarty (2) all finished with a home-run.
Mihalic, along with her grand slam in the top of the fourth, went 3-4 in the batters’ box and finished game two with two runs and four RBIs.
The Trojans were going to play at No. 5 Marian (22-0, 12-0 CL) on Saturday but will now play on April 8 due to inclement weather. RV Taylor will return to action on April 2 when it travels to Mount Vernon Nazarene (10-6, 5-1 CL). Game one will begin at 3:00 pm.
