RV Taylor Increases Win Streak to 12, Completes Four-Game Sweep of Bethel
Game 1
Game 1
Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taylor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 2 |
Bethel (IN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Game 2
Game 2
Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taylor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 1 |
Bethel (IN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
Mishawaka, Ind. – Coming off its pair of shutout victories over Bethel in the first doubleheader, Taylor completed its second straight four-game sweep of a Crossroads League opponent, defeating the Pilots 7-1 in game one and 8-5, in eight innings, in game two. The Trojans' 12-game win streak is their longest in eight years, when they rattled off 16 straight triumphs from April 13 through May 9 of 2013.
In the opener, Luke Shively, Drake Gongwer, and Jack Ross completely shut down the Bethel offense, combining to allow just two hits and one run while striking out 11. Gongwer (1-0) earned his first win of the 2021 campaign, striking out four and allowing just one hit in four innings of work. Shively opened the contest with four quality innings, striking out six, while Ross pitched a scoreless ninth.
TU collected eight hits in the opener, with Conner Crawford and Camden Knepp each recording two apiece. Crawford finished two-for-two with a home run, two runs scored, and a run batted in, while Knepp went two-for-three with a pair of singles and two RBI.
Kade Vander Molen opened the scoring in game one, crossing home plate on a Bethel (4-16, 1-7 CL) error to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead. The Pilots tied the contest in the bottom half of the first inning, but Taylor regained the advantage for good in the fourth. After reaching base via hit by pitch, Crawford later scored on another Bethel miscue, and a two-run single from Knepp increased Taylor's lead to 4-1 after four innings of play.
Crawford's solo shot, his third of the season, and Knepp's second RBI single in the sixth made it 6-1, and Matt Dutkowski added a little insurance in the seventh, scoring on Bethel's third error of the contest.
Crawford kept up his strong hitting in game two, recording three more knocks, including an RBI single in the first inning to give the Trojans an early 1-0 advantage for the second straight game.
After Bethel tied the contest in the third, a Ben Kalbaugh RBI double in the fourth and another run on a Pilot error in the fifth increased TU's lead to 3-1. In the seventh, the Trojans pushed two more runs across on a Kalbaugh RBI fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly from Dutkowski.
The Pilots came roaring back in their half of the seventh, scoring four runs to tie the contest at 5-5, but a sacrifice fly from Vander Molen followed by RBI singles from TJ Bass and Kalbaugh in the eighth secured the Trojans' four-game sweep.
Crawford finished three-for-three in the nightcap and five-for-five on the day, while Kalbaugh went two-for-five in the second contest with three RBI. Rusche collected a pair of hits and three runs scored.
Cy Stanley (1-0) earned his first win of the season in relief for the Trojans, pitching a scoreless 1.1 innings and collecting a pair of strikeouts. Luke Carlson pitched a solid 2.2 frames to start, striking out four, while Mitch Ubelhor sat down four Bethel batters in his 2.1 innings of work.
The Trojans (19-6, 8-0 CL) will be back at Winterholter Field on Friday to begin a four-game set with Mount Vernon Nazarene (6-7, 1-7 CL). First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm.