Larkin Launches Two Home Runs to Fuel Split Against Indiana Tech
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Trojan bats came alive in the finale of a doubleheader against Indiana Tech (8-1) on Wednesday to grab a split on the road in their final non-league contests of the season.
Taylor was patient and powerful at the plate in the second game, winning 13-6 behind an offense that drew 12 walks, ripped five extra-base hits, and stole seven bases to show the variety of ways to score.
Kaylee Larkin was a big part of the offensive uptick, launching a no-doubt home run to left in the first inning of the nightcap to gain an early 2-0 advantage. The Warriors grabbed a single run in the first two innings to tie up the ballgame.
TU struck again in the fourth, as Grace Mullins rocketed her first collegiate double to start the inning, and Meg Stanley reached and stole second to set up Madisyn Standridge. The sophomore third baseman roped a double to right-cent field, which drove in both runners before she was thrown out trying for a triple. Then, with two outs, the next five batters reached to score two more runs. Mullins came to the plate and laced a single to center to score two more runs but was caught trying to advance to second on the throw home.
Mullins had a terrific day at the plate, lacing two hits, scoring a run, knocking in two, and walking three times in five plate appearances.
Mady Foy (3-2) shut down the Warriors after the first two frames, tossing four innings of two-run ball in the start. Foy picked up her third win of the season and is rounding into form going into Crossroads League action.
Indiana Tech plated four runs in the sixth to cut the lead in half, but Taylor did not sweat, still sporting a comfortable 10-6 lead.
Larkin continued her torrid start to the season in the top of the seventh with a mammoth shot to left field for a three-run shot to finish the scoring on the day and put her into first place in the Crossroads League in both home runs and RBI with five and 15, respectively. The standout sophomore hit two bombs and walked in her other three plate appearances in the second game for the Trojans.
The opening game was a different story, as the Trojan offense notched just a single hit in a 1-0 loss.
Indiana Teach plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first on a two-out, full-count single to drive in a runner from third, who had tripled two batters earlier.
Katie Kottlowski kept the lead at the minimum despite the Warriors getting a runner to third in four straight innings. The biggest threat came in the fourth with the bases loaded, but a grounder to short finished the inning with no damage done. The sophomore finished the day allowing only a single run in the first but took her first loss of the year.
Taylor (8-6) gets to catch its breath with nearly a week before its first Crossroads League doubleheader of the season against Spring Arbor (5-4) on Tuesday, March 12, with the first pitch set for 3:00 pm at Gudakunst Field.