Trojans Split Saturday Doubleheader with Spring Arbor
UPLAND, Ind. – Despite outscoring Spring Arbor by nine runs on the day, TU ended up splitting a pair of games with its league foe. Game one heavily favored Taylor with a 16-4 final score but SAU responded with a 6-3 win in game two.
RV Taylor (26-12, 6-8 CL) secured a series win over Spring Arbor (15-21, 7-8 CL) in the opening game of the afternoon, picking up where they left off on Friday. The TU squad posted a run in five-consecutive innings, adding five extra-base hits, including two home runs.
The Trojans got their scoring started in game one in the second inning, as Josh Lane lined a single to left field to score the pinch-runner Jonathan Foster. The run evened the score at one apiece, until a rally in the third plated a pair for a 3-1 TU lead.
Offensive success continued for Taylor, as the team batted through the order in the fourth and fifth innings. Through the stretch, TU produced 11 runs, including a three-run shot from pinch hitter Brian Fields.
Wyatt Whitman put together a spectacular game at the bat, picking up three RBI with a home run and three walks.
In his 10th start of the season, Drake Gongwer nabbed his second win. The sophomore took care of business on the mound, offering four frames with three whiffs.
The two teams traded runs in the first inning of game two, as the centerfielder Whitman knocked in another run on the afternoon with a single up the middle.
The Cougars took control in the third frame, blasting a rare grand slam to jump ahead. The visitors extended their advantage to 6-1 with another run in the fifth.
Three walks and a single helped TU chip away at the deficit in the sixth inning. Justin Pettit did his best to keep the Trojans in the game, logging 4.2 scoreless innings of relief with six strikeouts.
Over the three-game series with the Cougars, TU performed well on the bump to hold down one of the top hitting teams in the Crossroads League. Despite batting over .300 on the year, SAU only averaged .268 against Taylor, while striking out 28 times.
The Trojans will return to the diamond at Bethel (9-18, 5-9 CL) on Tuesday at 3:00 pm.
