Taylor Notches Second Ranked Win in Upset of No. 12 IWU
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UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor softball team defeated No. 12 Indiana Wesleyan, 3-1, at Gudakunst Field on Tuesday night to record the Trojans’ second ranked win of the season.
Taylor trailed IWU (31-6, 12-4 CL), 1-0, in the second frame, but Davis Carter led-off the home half with a single, before Lauren Kanai’s sacrifice bunt moved Carter to second and Erin Cozad’s single brought Carter around to score and tie the game.
With the score still tied at 1-1 in the fifth inning, TU took its first lead of the day when Cozad stole second and then advanced the rest of the way home when the Wildcat catcher’s throw caromed off Cozad’s helmet and rolled all the way to the center-field fence, allowing the sophomore to give Taylor the 2-1 edge through five innings.
Courtney Moriarty added the insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as the junior blasted the first pitch of the frame over the center-field wall to put the Trojans up, 3-1, with three outs left to complete the upset.
Kanai (8-3) retired the final three hitters to secure the upset for the Purple and Gold and snap IWU’s nine-game winning streak. The freshman right-hander scattered eight hits and allowed the lone earned run in her fourth complete game of 2018.
Carter went 3-for-3 at the dish with a run to lead TU, while Moriarty and Cozad each recorded a hit, run and RBI to contribute to the highest-ranked win of the season for Taylor.
In game one of the doubleheader, Indiana Wesleyan scored in every inning to hand the Trojans a 10-1 loss in six innings.
Taylor (14-8, 8-6 CL) will stay at home for its next contest, as Spring Arbor (13-17, 7-11 CL) visits Gudakunst Field for two games, with first pitch set for 3:00 pm.
