Trojans Salvage DH Split with Big Third Inning, Strong Pitching

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The No. 9-ranked Taylor baseball team (1-2) split its twin bill with Ottawa (2-1) on Friday, dropping the first game 14-1 before gutting out a 4-3 victory in seven innings in game two.

In the second of Friday's games, the Trojans took advantage of a hit-by-pitch, wild pitch and walk all in the third inning to plate four runs. TU came just a home run short of the cycle in that third frame alone, with Kaleb Kolpien and Brayden Manning getting a two-out single and triple in consecutive at-bats, respectively, to each drive in a run. Camden Knepp also notched an RBI in the third on a groundout that scored Fletcher Roemmich.

The bottom half of the third inning was also eventful, with OUAZ taking advantage of an extra out and hitting a two-run homer to draw the score to 4-2, Taylor.

Alec Holcomb, who got the nod as TU's starting pitcher in the nightcap, was lifted for Jack Ross after four effective innings of work in which he allowed just the two runs, both unearned, and scattered two walks and two hits while recording four strikeouts.

OUAZ tacked on a run in the sixth inning off of Ross to make it a one-run ballgame heading to the seventh frame, but Ross shut the door in the bottom of the seventh by inducing a strikeout and two groundouts to secure the Trojans' first win of the season.

Holcomb got the win in the seven-inning affair, while Ross was credited with a three-inning save.

Kolpien had a big day at the plate with two hits in game one before adding his third hit in game two. In all, the junior reached base four times in seven plate appearances. Pinch-hitting for his brother, Kade Kolpien made two plate appearances in game one, and he drove in TU's lone run in the ninth frame of the first game on a sacrifice fly. 

Indiana University transfer David Platt was stellar in his Taylor debut, as he closed the lopsided loss in game one by striking out all four batters he faced. Matt Dutkowski, who started the first game, was effective through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. The senior picked up four strikeouts while allowing three earned runs in his 4.1 innings of work.

TU will look to carry momentum over from its nightcap victory on Friday and earn a series split when it plays OUAZ Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern time.