Offensive Outpour Leads to Sweep of Goshen
GOSHEN, Ind. – The offensive firepower was on display for Taylor in its sweep of Goshen, lacing nine doubles and scoring 20 runs combined in the doubleheader.
Emma West showed her prowess at the plate to the tune of five hits, three walks and five runs scored in the doubleheader. Ashton Whitman also continued her breakout season with four hits, two runs and four runs batted in to take her team-leading total to 33 RBI on the season.
The Trojans (20-17, 17-9 CL) held off the Maple Leafs in game one 11-10, after building an early eight-run advantage.
The offense started out brightly scoring four runs in the first frame to set the tone.
West began the inning with a hard-fought walk to get on base. After an out was recorded, doubles by Whitman, Caitlyn Grim, Alexi Clay and Kristin Mihalic plated four runs for the Trojans.
Taylor responded after Goshen scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to halve the deficit. Aleyah Rastetter, West and Maddi Evans all singled to load the bases with nobody out and force a pitching change. Rastetter scored on a passed ball and West quickly followed on a throwing error. Grim doubled again to score Evans and later crossed the plate on another wild pitch.
After an out in the third, walks from Meg Stanley, Rastetter and West loaded the bases again. Evans singled home Stanley, before a sacrifice fly by Whitman plated Rastetter to extend the lead to 10-2.
Goshen chased Evans (10-7) from the game in the third, after the score became 10-7.
The Trojans grabbed a vital insurance run in the fifth when West doubled down the left field line and crossed the plate two batters later, as Whitman ripped a single to left.
After two more runs crossed the plate for Goshen in the fifth, Evans came back into the game in the sixth inning. The righty held them at bay to earn the victory in game one.
TU overcame an early deficit in game two to secure the sweep over the Maple Leafs.
After trailing 4-1 after two innings, the Trojans responded in the third to tie the game at four. Two outs were recorded with West at first, before four-straight batters reached on base knocks to tie the game. Whitman, Grim, Jersey Tannehill and Clay hit consecutive singles to the outfield in the rally that gave TU new life in game two.
The very next inning, Taylor took its first lead of the game. With first and third and one out, Evans laced a double to right that scored both Rastetter and West to make the score 6-4.
Goshen (19-23, 9-19 CL) clawed its way back to tie the game in the fifth after a solo home run.
Taylor responded to take the lead again in the sixth. West reached on an infield single, one of her team-leading three base hits in game two and scored on a Whitman single to take a one-run advantage. Maddie Schultz ran for Whitman and scored on a series of errors by the Maple Leafs after a single to center by Grim.
TU plated an insurance run in the seventh on a double by senior Alexis McClure to end the scoring at 9-6.
Rastetter (1-0) was valiant in the circle in game two, staying composed, pitching the complete game, as she grabbed her first victory of the season.
Taylor is back in action on Friday against Bethel (6-26, 5-19 CL) on the road. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm in Mishawaka, Indiana.