Trojan Bats Erupt at Grace for 40th Win
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WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Taylor set season-highs for runs, hits and extra-base hits in a 24-8 rout at Grace on Monday, finishing its Crossroads League slate at 20-7 and tying a program record with its 40th win of the regular season.
TU scored 24 runs on 21 hits and cracked 14 extra-base knocks, while scoring at least one run in seven-of-eight innings during the run-rule, eight-inning victory. The Trojans had 10 different players collect at least one hit, nine drive in at least on run and 11 score at least one run.
Wyatt Whitman went 5-5 with two doubles, one homer, five runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base to set the tone from the leadoff slot, while Josh Lane had two hits, five runs and a double from the second spot in the order.
Nathan Targgart went 3-5 with six RBI, four runs, one double and one dinger, with Jared Adkins going 3-6 with two doubles, one triple, two steals and three RBI. Brett Lawson also had three hits and two doubles and Sam Wiese homered and drove in five runs. Whitman, Targgart, Wiese and Tanner Watson all homered for Taylor in the onslaught.
Mitch Ubelhor picked up his fourth win of the season by pitching two innings of relief, as one of four Taylor hurlers to take the mound. Ubelhor fanned four batters in the game, joining Andrew Kennedy, Clay Riggins and Lawson in striking out 15 Lancer hitters.
Taylor reached the 40-win plateau for the second time in program history, doing so for the second time in three seasons, after winning exactly 40 games during the 2016 campaign. The 2018 squad has now won 20, 30 and 40 games faster than any other team in program history and its 40-12 record stands as the best in program history.
Taylor ranks No. 14 in the NAIA in winning percentage this season with its .769 clip and is one-of-11 teams to win at least 40 games so far during the 2018 campaign.
The win also gives the Trojan senior class a total of 147 victories, bringing the group to within two victories of matching the 2009-2012 class for the winningest in program history.
Taylor will close its regular season on Tuesday at 6:00 pm against Manchester, when it tries for a program-record 41st win. Targgart could also make history on Tuesday, needing one double to match Ryne Otis’ career mark of 58 set from 2009 through 2012.