Trojans’ Opportunistic Offense Hands No. 1 SEU its First Loss

LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 9 Taylor baseball team won the series finale 11-9 on Friday to break up the perfect season of No. 1-ranked Southeastern (11-1). TU battled at the plate all throughout the day's second game, drawing 13 walks and executing on several run-scoring opportunities.

Following a tough game one loss, Taylor immediately looked sharper in game two by generating four base runners through two innings while Alec Hershberger put up a pair of zeros on the mound.

Piggybacking off a fine defensive play by Mason David to end the first frame, a Luke Picchiotti walk and stolen base set up an RBI-base hit from Camden Knepp to put TU in front, 1-0.

SEU took a 2-1 lead in the third inning, but another walk from Picchiotti started a rally in the fourth. After a hit batsmen and two wild pitches, Kaleb Kolpien provided an RBI groundout and Taylor retook the lead, 3-2.

The Fire showcased the strength of their lineup with a four-run, four-hit fifth inning, but the Trojans came right back to take control of the game with a huge top of the sixth. Two walks and a single set up a pair of sharp RBI ground balls from Brayden Manning and Brennan Frickel in that sixth frame. Taylor then drew another pair of bases on balls – including a third in the game for Picchiotti – and used two wild pitches and an error to leap out in front 8-6.

The bats weren't done for TU, as Knepp smoked a run-scoring double in the seventh, and Picchiotti beautifully executed a squeeze bunt to plate Frickel, who reached via a double, in the eighth frame to cushion the Taylor lead. The Trojans added a final run in the top of the ninth from another clutch swing by Frickel to make it 11-6.

As Taylor's lineup got to work, so did reliever Gage Gongwer (1-0), who earned his first career win. The sophomore pitched 2.1 innings in the middle-late frames without allowing a single run while racking up four strikeouts.

Jake Boyer bridged the gap with a scoreless eighth inning, and he recorded two outs in the ninth before SEU made a final push at the plate by manufacturing a run and hitting a two-run shot to center to make it 11-9. Dalton Swinehart, who had pitched in game one and recorded four strikeouts, was called upon to get the final out with a runner at second base. The junior delivered by striking out the lone batter he faced to secure Taylor's upset win and pick up his first career save.

Knepp and Frickel each ended game two going 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs. Picchiotti and Kolpien both reached base four times and scored two runs apiece while combining to steal three bases. Sam Gladd recorded two hits from the cleanup spot.

Despite a 5-0 loss in game one, Taylor's pitching staff was solid in holding down the Fire lineup, who entered the series averaging nearly 10 runs per game. Matt Dutkowski, Swinehart and Nick Crabtree – who tossed two scoreless innings – also combed for 11 strikeouts. Jacob Caruso caught both games of the doubleheader and threw out one runner attempting to steal.

No. 9 TU (3-7) is scheduled to play its first home game on Wednesday, Feb. 21, versus Indiana South Bend (0-0) at 2 p.m.