No. 11 Trojans Overpower Knights on the Diamond
UPLAND, Ind. – The No. 11 Taylor baseball team (39-8, 30-4 CL) swiftly seized control and overpowered Marian (23-24, 18-16) during both ends of Thursday’s doubleheader at Winterholter Field to extend its winning streak to eight games.
The Trojans hit five home runs, including two from Luke Picchiotti, over the course of the twin bill, as they kept pace with their average of just over 10 runs scored per game. Meanwhile, the reliable right-handed arms of TU’s pitching staff strung together 14 innings of one-run ball, allowing one walk and collecting its sixth shutout of the season.
Game one started with Gabel Pentecost (11-1) on the mound, and he set the tone for the day with a one-two-three first inning concluding with his 259th career strikeout, breaking a tie for second place on the program’s all-time strikeouts list
Kaleb Kolpien then singled home Nate Simpson in the bottom of the frame to hand TU a 1-0 edge.
Luke Sutter opened the second inning with a towering home run to center field, and a pair of walks later in the frame set up the top of the order with two outs. Mason David and Simpson delivered with consecutive singles, making the score 4-0.
Taylor padded its lead with an extended fifth inning that culminated in an RBI double from Ben Kennedy and an RBI single from Fletcher Roemmich.
Pentecost nearly completed six shutout innings, but a two-out wild pitch gave MU its lone run of the day in the sixth. Still, the junior ace turned in a six-inning gem surrendering no walks and four hits. He struck out seven Knights to become the fourth Trojan ever to eclipse 100 strikeouts in a season, and Pentecost’s 11th win of the year ties the best single-season mark in program history.
At the dish in the bottom of the sixth, David led off with a single, though two quick outs ensued. Then, David scored on an error, Sutter singled and Picchiotti went to the opposite field with a three-run homer to put the Purple and Grey in position for a run-rule victory, ahead 11-1.
Conner Miller closed the door in the opener with a scoreless seventh frame.
Jake Boyer got the ball in the nightcap, and he was efficient as could be through the first two innings, needing fewer than 20 pitches.
Two batters in to the home half of the first inning, the Trojans had two runs on the board courtesy of Nate Simpson’s second home run of the season.
Still working with a 2-0 lead, Boyer (6-1) picked up a pair of strikeouts in the fourth inning to end his day with two hits, no walks and no runs allowed.
David gave the Trojans some breathing room with a two-run homer, his 12th of the year, in the bottom of the fourth, and TU’s advantage was stretched to 5-0 on an RBI groundout by Sutter.
Taylor put the game away with a huge fifth frame, initially fueled by Chase Long’s leadoff single. A hit-by-pitch put two men on with nobody out, setting up Simpson and Kolpien for back-to-back RBI base knocks before Manning drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
As he’s been prone to do over the past week, Picchiotti closed the scoring with a bang as he launched a two-run shot to centerfield to hand TU a 10-0 lead.
On the mound, Nathan Frady was able to complete the combined shutout and pick up his second save of 2025. The sophomore worked the final three innings, striking out four batters.
No. 11 Taylor is slated to close the regular season Friday at 1 p.m. when it hosts Marian for a doubleheader. The Trojans need one victory to clinch a fourth consecutive 40-win campaign and set the program record for most wins in conference play.