Taylor Grabs a Win Over No. 22 Indiana Tech in Home Opener
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UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor baseball squad posted five runs between the fourth and fifth innings of game one to pull off a 5-4 victory over the 22nd-ranked Indiana Tech Warriors. Game two finished with a 2-0 score in favor of Indiana Tech to end the day.
The TU (15-4) offense got off to a slow start, as they were unable to put a runner on base until the fourth inning. Nick Rusche ruined the perfect game for Indiana Tech (8-3) with a single in the fourth frame. Wyatt Whitman followed Rusche with a single, before TJ Bass smashed his first career home run, bringing in three runs to take the lead.
Scoring for Taylor continued in the fifth inning with a huge double from Josh Lane to capitalize on an error from the Warriors earlier in the inning. Rusche knocked in another run with a ground out, extending TU’s advantage to 5-3.
Kole Barkhaus was key in relief, tallying his first win of the season. The sophomore righty got Taylor out of jam in the fourth, nabbing a strikeout to end the inning with runners on second and third. Leading the pitching staff with four strikeouts, Mitch Ubelhor completed the final two innings to hold off the Warriors for his third save of the year.
In game two, both teams threatened in the first inning but both pitchers found their way out with no harm done. Indiana Tech put two runners on base to open the game but a fly out and 6-4-3 double play from TU shut down the inning. A single and two walks loaded the bases in the bottom of the first for the Purple and Gold but the visitors found three-straight strikeouts, ending Taylor’s best chance to score.
Ben Kalbaugh was the best bat in the game for the TU squad, picking up two singles for his first multi-hit effort of his career.
Starting on the bump in game two, Luke Shively posted three zeroes before a Warrior rally plated two in the fourth. Clay Riggins was solid in relief allowing one hit in 3.2 innings of work.
Taylor flashed the leather on defense, ending three innings by way of a double play. Whitman also made an impressive diving catch on a laser to centerfield.
The Trojans will return to action against No. 22 Indiana Tech on Saturday at 1:00 pm for one nine inning contest.
