Bats Come to Life in Blowout Victory for No. 9 Taylor

Broadcast Highlights

UPLAND, Ind. – The ninth-ranked Taylor baseball team (4-7) earned a commanding 15-3 win Wednesday evening versus Indiana South Bend (1-4) in its home opener.

Fueled by an efficient four-inning start from the eventual winning pitcher, freshman Alec Hershberger (1-0), TU strung together solid plate appearances to take a 4-0 lead five frames into the contest. After allowing a base hit and walk in the first inning, Hershberger settled in to face the minimum in the second, third and fourth innings while adding two strikeouts to his line.

Kaleb Kolpien was responsible for driving in two of Taylor's first four runs with a sharp single to left and a bases-loaded walk.

The Titans trimmed their deficit to 4-2 with a base knock to center in the top half of the sixth inning, but an offensive explosion for the Trojans awaited just around the bend.

TU sent 13 men to the plate in an eight-run sixth frame that featured four extra-base hits and two run-producing singles to the outfield. The inning opened with three consecutive doubles from Fletcher Roemmich, Camden Knepp and Kolpien before IUSB recorded two quick outs sandwiched by a hit-by-pitch. Mason David emphatically made sure the inning continued as he put a charge in one to left field that cleared the wall for a three-run homer, his first of the season. Taylor then took advantage of two walks and an error to set up back-to-back run-scoring singles for Knepp and Kolpien to close the monster inning with TU ahead, 12-2.

Senior Jack Ross put zeros on the board for two innings thereafter, and the Trojan lineup continued to add on with a two-run bomb to the scoreboard in left-center by pinch-hitter Joe Lokos in the seventh frame, and an RBI-single from Ben Kennedy in the eighth. Lokos' homer marked the senior's first of his career.

Nathan Frady yielded one run but closed the door in the ninth inning to wrap up Taylor's dominant win.

Offensively, Kolpien broke out with four hits and four RBIs in a perfect day at the plate. Knepp recorded his second straight three-hit game and produced three RBIs, while David notched two hits and three RBIs.

No. 9 Taylor continues its home stand on Friday with a doubleheader versus Madonna (2-4). First pitch of game one at Winterholter Field is scheduled for 12 noon.