Trojans Handle BC in Doubleheader Sweep
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UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor got back on the winning track on Friday with a 6-0 and 14-5 doubleheader sweep of Bethel at Winterholter Field. The Trojans improved to 16-1 on their home turf with the two victories.
The bottom of the order did much of the damage through the opener, as the five-through-nine hitters combined for TU’s first five hits and four runs batted in of the afternoon for the Purple and Gold.
The Trojans got on the board with an unearned tally in the bottom of the third and proceeded to score two runs in the third and fifth innings and one in the sixth, as all five insurance scores came with two outs.
Cody Tait delivered the first two-out knock, lining a two-run single up the middle in the fourth. Brett Lawson added to the lead by dumping a two-out, two-run single into center in the fifth and three-straight two-out knocks from Sam Wiese, Nathan Targgart and Tanner Watson opened the 6-0 cushion.
That would be more than enough for Matt Patton (7-2), who continued to rack up the impressive outings, this time cruising through six scoreless frames on just 70 pitches to record his seventh win of the season. Patton fanned eight, did not issue a walk and allowed only four hits, with two of those coming on softly hit infield grounders.
TU jumped out front once again in the second contest, building a 6-1 lead and adding eight runs in the bottom of the eighth to secure the 14-5 victory.
Josh Lane and Watson provided the big blows in the eight-run eighth, with two-run singles to help put the game out of reach after BC had drawn within a single run with a four-run rally in the seventh.
Andrew Kennedy started the game on the hill for Taylor, going four innings and allowing just one run, before turning the ball over to a string of four Trojan relievers. Luke Shively (4-0) was credited with the win, after following Kennedy with 2.1 innings, while Mitch Ubelhor and Drake Gongwer each tossed scoreless innings to finish the contest.
Taylor put up 20 runs on 19 hits in the two victories, and was led at the plate by the infield tandem of Lawson and Tait. Lawson collected four hits in the two wins, while Tait had three hits and four runs batted in. Lane and Watson each doubled and drove in three, Jared Adkins homered and Wyatt Whitman stole three bags and scored four times.
RV Taylor (23-7, 3-2 CL) and Bethel (9-13, 1-5 CL) will look to wrap up the series with a nine-inning game in Upland at 1 pm on Saturday.
