WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – Taylor battled against two top teams on Friday, earning a split on the first day of action in the Bear Creek Classic. The first game delivered a 6-4 win over RV Campbellsville before an upset bid fell short in a 4-3 loss against No. 3 Cumberlands.
The Trojans came out hot in the first game of the day, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first for a commanding lead. Aleyah Rastetter belted a triple to drive home Emri Agre, who reached on an error to start the inning before Rastetter crossed the plate on a passed ball. The Trojans then loaded the passes with two outs, and Brooke Sanchez delivered a clutch hit up the middle to drive in two runs.
The teams traded zeros until the Tigers cut the deficit in half with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.
TU responded in the bottom of the inning when Madisyn Standridge reached on an infield single and promptly stole second to get into scoring position. Sanchez continued her terrific game at the plate with another RBI single up the middle.
The Trojans added to their lead the next inning with another run in the bottom of the fifth as Jersey Tannehill drove in Rastetter on a two-out single up the middle as the Trojan bats continued to attack the middle of the field.
Mady Foy was solid in the circle, allowing two runs through the first six innings until the Tigers' offense provided a scare in the final inning. Campbellsville tallied two runs with two outs until Foy forced a fly out to end the game and the Trojans their second victory of the young season.
Taylor fell behind early and was unable to complete the comeback in its second game of the night against No. 3 Cumberlands (9-3).
Agre again led the game off by getting on base and quickly stole second before scoring on an error later in the inning to get TU (2-4) on the board.
The Patriots struck right back with three of their own in the bottom of the first to take a two-run lead and added another in the second to create a three-run lead.
The Trojans offense failed to capitalize despite getting a runner on base in three of the next four innings. The offense continued to get base runners, and Mullins scored on a sacrifice fly from Delaynee McCreary in the sixth. Kaylee Larkin then blasted the first home run for TU in a second-straight season to cut the lead to a single run.
Taylor got another baserunner in their final at-bat but was unable to score before the final out, giving up the chance to earn a huge upset early in the year.
Taylor is back in action for two more games at the Bear Creek Classic on Saturday, February 24, with a game against Rio Grande (6-1) at 9:30 am preceded the final contest for the Trojans against RV Campbellsville (6-3) set to have the first pitch delivered at noon.
