TU Dominates Bethel, Wins Fifth-Straight Game
UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor softball team pounded out 17 hits and scored 19 runs, while holding Bethel to two runs on four hits en route to two run-rule victories over the visiting Pilots at Gudakunst Field on Tuesday night.
The Trojans exploded for eight runs in the opening frame of game one, with Cassie Kuizin and Erin Cozad each hitting three-run home runs in the inning.
After BC (2-43, 2-32 CL) cracked the scoreboard with its lone run in the top of the fourth, Taylor answered with Morgan Allison’s two-run dinger in the next half-inning to make it a 10-1 game after four innings.
Maddie Cornell induced three-straight ground-outs in the top of the fifth to close out the win for the Trojans.
Courtney Moriarty (10-6) pitched the first four innings to earn her 10th win of the season, surrendering just two hits and allowing the one run.
In the second game, TU got on the board first yet again. Alex Lovelace doubled and Cassie Kuizin walked to put runners on first and second with one out in the first inning, before Hannah Castor ripped a double to drive in both runs and give the Trojans a 2-0 lead.
Bethel’s Mackenzie Orphanidis led off the second stanza with a solo home run, but Hannah Robbins (15-3) would allow just one hit the rest of the way in shutting down the Pilot offense and winning her 11th-straight start.
Taylor added a run in the bottom of the fourth and put up five more in the fifth to make it an 8-1 lead for the hosts entering the sixth inning.
Cozad and Lovelace singled to begin the sixth and Anna Gunderson’s double scored Cozad from second base to end the game early.
Cozad went 3-5 for the day, scoring three runs and driving in three more on her first-career home run to lead the Trojans at the plate. Kuizin provided a 2-4 performance at the dish, while scoring three times and driving in five runs.
RV Taylor (33-14, 25-7 CL) will hit the road for its next doubleheader at Spring Arbor (18-30, 13-19 CL) on Friday, with the first pitch set for 3:00 pm.