![RV TU Pitches Shutout, Splits Saturday Doubleheader](/images/2019-20/Baseball/bb_action20_dutkowski_pitching_southwest.jpg)
RV TU Pitches Shutout, Splits Saturday Doubleheader
TEMPE, Ariz. – RV Taylor (2-1) completed its three-game series with Park University Gilbert (1-2) with a doubleheader on Saturday. The TU pitching staff dominated the first contest, posting nine scoreless innings for an 8-0 victory. The Trojans suffered their first loss of the season in game two, falling, 6-4, in a seven inning competition.
Matt Dutkowski and Drake Gongwer tag-teamed for a stellar shutout to start the day. Dutkowski drew the start and tossed six frames with six strikeouts. The sophomore standout allowed just three hits to pick up his first career victory.
Gongwer took the mound to start the seventh inning and continued the strong pitching performance for TU. The righty offered three hitless frames, allowing one baserunner in the outing. The junior collected four strikeouts, including back-to-back whiffs to end the contest. With three complete innings to seal the win, Gongwer nabbed the second save of his career.
The TU offense opened game one with four runs in the first two innings. For the second-straight contest, Nick Rusche began the game with a base hit and scored to give Taylor an early advantage. Cam Knepp sparked a three-run rally in the second frame with his first collegiate base hit. Joe Moran brought home two of the runs in the inning with a single to centerfield.
Every batter in TU's starting lineup recorded a base hit in the opening game, leading to the 8-0 win.
Jonathan Foster put together a strong offensive performance throughout the day, posting a pair of two-hit outings. In game one, the senior hit a double to help TU to a three-run eighth inning, while going two-for-four in the win. In game two, Foster was two-for-two at the plate with a sacrifice bunt in the second.
For the third-consecutive game, the Purple and Gold impacted the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, notching two runs at the start of game two. The TU squad took advantage of an error and a walk, before TJ Bass and Jacob Morris each logged an RBI single.
Facing an early deficit, the Buccaneers responded with five unanswered runs from the second through fourth innings to create a three-run lead for the host squad. TU posted a run in the fifth and sixth frames to bring the game within two runs before dropping its first contest of the season, 6-4.
Morris reached base three times in game two, nabbed two hits at the plate with a walk and an RBI. Conner Crawford also posted multiple hits, recording a pair of singles in the outing.
On the bump, Drew Kindy stepped up, delivering 1.1 innings of work. The junior logged four outs for Taylor, including a pickoff in the bottom of the fifth.
Taylor is scheduled to continue its Arizona road trip with the Coach Calderone Invitational on Wednesday, as the team is set to battle Arizona Christian at 8:00 pm (EST).