Taylor Pulls Away Late in Nightcap for Sweep of IWU

Team Stats

April 13, 2014


MARION, Ind. - Taylor softball's offense exploded in the opener Saturday in a dominant win, and the Trojans went on to win the nightcap 8-2 after a big six-run seventh inning.

Both Taylor and crosstown rival Indiana Wesleyan came into tonight's contests receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll. The Taylor sweep evened the season series at two games apiece and now places Taylor three games ahead of second place Huntington in the Crossroads League standings.

In game one, Taylor scored runs early and often to put the game out of reach for Indiana Wesleyan, highlighted by a six run second inning and a seven run fourth. Taylor would go on to win the game after five innings of play by the score of 16-5.

The 16 runs came on a whopping 17 hits for the Trojans in support of starting pitcher Hannah Robbins. Robbins pitched all five innings and improved her record to 14-2 on the season with the win. Robbins allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks, also tallying six strikeouts.

The offense came from everywhere in the lineup as the Trojans got to the Wildcat pitching. Emily Tweedy and Lauren Ehle were the main offensive catalysts in this one, hitting from the three and four spots, respectively. Tweedy was a perfect 4-4, driving in five runs and scoring three. Two of Tweedy's RBIs came in the third on a triple, bringing in Karon Earley and Alex Lovelace. Ehle was 3-4 with a run scored and four RBIs. In the fourth, Ehle blasted a deep, two-run home run, her 12th home run of the season.

Earley also had a great game at the plate, going 3-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored. In the leadoff spot, Lovelace was 2-5 with two RBIs while also causing havoc on the basepaths with two stolen bases and three runs scored. Micaela Christensen earned two hits in four at-bats and also rounded home for two runs.

Game two was an entirely different game, as Taylor's Ashley Miller and Indiana Wesleyan's Janessa Guevara found themselves in a pitcher's duel into the late innings.

Indiana Wesleyan advanced a runner to second base in the bottom half of the sixth, but a strikeout by Miller shut the door on any further damage and the score remained tied at 2-2.

Taylor pulled away in the top of the seventh, plating six runs when the dust settled to make the score 8-2. The inning started with a Christensen walk. Earley came to bat next, setting down a nice bunt and reaching first on a close-play error. The Trojans went on to score five runs before the Wildcats were able to record an out.

"That seventh inning was big," said head coach Brad Bowser. "We need these close games to test us, and tonight it got to the point where one play may win it. Earley's bunt in the inning was a big play to get us going."

Miller had another impressive game in the circle for Taylor, throwing the complete game to earn the win. Miller allowed just two runs on six hits, six walks, and five strikeouts. Indiana Wesleyan went three up and three down in the seventh inning on three ground ball putouts.

It was another all-around team effort on offense. Lovelace was 3-3 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the Trojans. Tweedy came up big with a single with bases loaded in the seventh to drive in two runs, Ehle was 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored, and Earley was 1-3 with a run scored. Anna Gunderson also added a double and a run scored.

Taylor (30-9, 16-4 CL) has won four straight games and is in the midst of its first 30-win season in program history. The Trojans will look to add to that total on Tuesday on the road against Huntington. The doubleheader will begin at 3:00 pm.