Frickel’s Grand Slam Helps Power TU Past IUPUC

Broadcast Highlights | Frickel Grand Slam - Field Level

UPLAND, Ind. – The ninth-ranked Taylor baseball team (7-7) overpowered IUPUC (4-11) 18-3 on Tuesday afternoon to finish off its nonconference schedule.

The Trojans were clicking on all cylinders early, led by a hitless, two-inning start from Wes Hunt (1-0). Hunt faced the minimum through two frames, aided by a nicely turned double play from shortstop Ben Kennedy.

TU's bats also got off to a strong start, with Camden Knepp getting a single and Sam Gladd knocking a two-out, two-run homer to the scoreboard in the first inning. The Trojans added on to their lead in a grand way with another two-out home run, this one a grand slam, from Brennan Frickel in the third inning that put Taylor ahead, 6-0.

Reliever Jared Crandall was sharp in his two innings of work, as the junior allowed just one run and struck out four. TU went back up by six runs in the bottom of the fourth behind a leadoff triple from Kennedy.

Already leading 7-1, the Trojans scored twice on separate balks in the fifth inning before Kaleb Kolpien secured his 199th career hit by delivering yet another two-out home run that plated three. The TU bats were far from done, however, as Frickel, Fletcher Roemmich and Brayden Manning all hit run-scoring doubles as part of a six-run sixth frame that made it 18-2, Trojans.

IUPUC got a final run back in the seventh inning, but Dalton Swinehart pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Jack Ross did the same in the ninth with the aid of a double-play ball to Roemmich at short that marked the 27th out.

Taylor's pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts against just two walks allowed, with Hunt, Crandall, Jake Boyer, Nathan Frady and Swinehart all recording multiple punch outs.

Frickel paced the Trojans with three hits and five runs batted in. Manning also had three hits and two RBIs, while Kolpien drove in four runs. Roemmich and Knepp rounded out those with multiple hits on the day for TU.

No. 9 Taylor begins Crossroads League play and finishes its homestand with a doubleheader on Friday against Saint Francis (9-3). First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12 noon.