Targgart Nabs TU Hits Record, Taylor Survives Two Elimination Games
UPLAND, Ind. – The Trojans continued their Crossroads League Tournament run on Monday with a pair of wins in elimination matchups. In a 6-2 victory over Goshen, Nathan Targgart logged his 274th career hit, breaking TU’s all-time hits record.
Scoreless through five innings, Taylor (38-17, 15-12 CL) began to threaten with runners on first and second with Targgart coming to the plate. The senior roped the first pitch he saw into left-center field, putting TU in the lead, while passing TU Hall-of-Famer Michael Kraynak for the program career hits mark.
On the first pitch of the contest, Goshen’s leadoff hitter launched the ball over the left field fence, before Wyatt Whitman snatched it out of the air, robbing the homer. In the eighth frame with that batter now on the mound for the Maple Leafs, Whitman added to Taylor’s lead with a long ball that scraped the clouds.
Six runs between the sixth, seventh and eighth frames secured a 6-2 triumph over Goshen (20-29, 12-15 CL) in the Trojans’ second game of the day. Nick Rusche joined Targgart with multiple hits in the evening contest, contributing an RBI and a run scored.
Tucker Waddups was stellar for the Trojans on the bump, tossing seven innings in his fourth start of the season. After two hits in the first frame, the junior righty retired 14-consecutive hitters. Seven strikeouts from Waddups was a season-high, as he allowed just three hits in the winning effort.
Before TU made it to the night contest against Goshen, the team had to take down Indiana Wesleyan (22-30, 15-12 CL) for the second time in the tournament.
The Wildcats managed to impact the scoreboard first in the afternoon outing, as the home team piled on three runs between the third and fourth innings.
Down 3-0, the Purple and Gold began its comeback in the sixth, as a pair of walks and an error helped TU plate its first run of the day.
The Taylor bats returned with a mission in the seventh. Josh Lane and Nick Rusche smacked back-to-back base hits to place two runners in scoring position. Brett Lawson was the Trojan to jump on the opportunity placing a single up the middle to tie the game at three apiece. The scoring continued with a Ben Kalbaugh line drive to right field, which gave the Trojans a one-run advantage.
Any TU lead would remain safe under the protection of the squad’s fantastic relievers. Justin Pettit, Mitch Ubelhor and Kole Barkhaus combined for 5.2 innings of work with only three hits and no runs allowed.
Targgart provided a consistent bat throughout the day, going three-for-seven and extending his hitting streak to seven games.
Taylor will return to Crossroads League Tournament action on Tuesday at 3:00 pm against Marian (27-19, 17-10 CL) at Winterholter Field.