Watson and Whitman Homer as TU Opens Weekend with Win
UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor kept its Crossroads League championship hopes alive on Friday with an 8-2 win over Saint Francis to open the weekend set. The Trojans took over sole-possession of second place in the league standings the victory.
RV Taylor claimed control early, seeing 50 pitches from the USF starting pitcher in the first inning en route to grabbing a 3-0 lead. TU tacked on two more in the second for a 5-0 cushion and later added home runs from Tanner Watson and Wyatt Whitman to secure the 8-2 victory behind the pitching of Tucker Waddups and Rob Fox.
In addition to the long balls from Watson and Whitman, Taylor collected doubles off the bats of Josh Lane, Nathan Targgart, Sam Wiese and Watson, rapping out six extra-base hits among the squad’s 11 knocks in the contest.
Watson sparked the attack by homering, doubling and driving in two runs, with Wiese collecting three RBI and Targgart also doubling in a pair and scoring twice. Whitman also scored twice and Adkins added two hits.
The Trojans were also active on the bases, swiping seven bags against the Cougars. Adkins led the attack with a trio of thefts, with Lane, Whitman, Kyle Kelsheimer and Andrew Kennedy also stealing one base each.
Waddups improved to 5-4 on the bump, taking the win for Taylor by working through 6.1 innings on 74 pitches. Waddups allowed six hits and two runs, while fanning four. Fox finished the contest, needing only 27 pitches to log the final eight outs and recording half of them via the strikeout.
RV Taylor (37-12, 17-7 CL) and Saint Francis (12-33, 9-16 CL) will square off again on Saturday, with a doubleheader starting at 2:00 pm.