TU Stays Hot, Sweeps Goshen to End Regular Season

Broadcast Highlights

UPLAND, Ind. – The No. 18-ranked Taylor baseball team (37-13, 30-6 CL) capped its regular season on Saturday by sweeping Goshen as it struck for a season-high 26 runs in game three and came back to claim an 8-7 win in the finale. The victories extended TU's winning streak to nine games and gave the Trojans 30 league wins for the second time in program history, fresh off accomplishing the feat in 2023.

Taylor opened the scoring Saturday afternoon in the first inning with a two-run home run off the bat of Sam Gladd. TU added one more in the opening frame before the Maple Leafs made it 3-1 on their solo shot in the second inning.

Having scored 10 or more runs in eight straight games, the Trojans got busy making it nine in a row via a devastating 19-run bottom of the third, which is five shy of the all-time NAIA record for runs scored in a single inning.

A trio of doubles by Brayden Manning, Brennan Frickel and Luke Picchiotti started the inning, before Fletcher Roemmich smacked a three-run homer to left. Even with the bases empty, the home team refused to make an out as the first 15 Trojans reached base in some fashion.

With 12 runs already across in the third inning alone, Camden Knepp launched an opposite-field grand slam to make it 16 runs in 16 plate appearances for the Trojans. Taylor went on to strike for three more in the inning behind Gladd's second homer of the day and a two-run dinger by Picchiotti.

GC (12-36, 7-29 CL) notched an RBI double in the sixth to make it 22-2, but the Trojans put the final dent in the score board in the bottom of the frame with a run-scoring single from Joe Lokos and a three-run homer by Mason David.

Head coach Kyle Gould called on six pitchers to piece together the 26-2 run-rule victory. Dalton Swinehart (5-4) got the two-inning start and struck out three, while Gage Gongwer, Matt Dutkowski, Jared Crandall, Alec Hershberger and David Platt each pitched one inning. The staff combined for 12 total strikeouts, with Crandall punching out the side in the fifth frame.

The Maple Leafs came out of the gates swinging in game four, leading 5-0 before TU could get an out. Starting pitcher Alec Holcomb steadied himself, though, to complete three innings and amass four strikeouts without allowing further damage.

Down 5-2 in the top of the fourth, Frickel started a potential game-saving double play with a diving, backhand stop that wiped the bases empty. The play proved to be crucial as the next three Goshen batters all recorded hits, but only one run came across that made it 6-2.

The Trojans embarked on their comeback in the bottom of the fourth frame, first striking with Roemmich's second long ball of the day – just the second of his season. David and Gladd later had run-producing hits that gave TU a 7-6 advantage.

Picchiotti led off the fifth inning with a mammoth homer to right center, though Goshen answered with a solo homer to left field in the sixth.

Ahead 8-7, Conner Miller took the mound in the seventh frame, and the junior delivered with three quick outs to grab his first save since the 2022 season.

Senior Jack Ross (2-2) got the win, as he closed his regular season with a three-inning, three-strikeout outing.

No. 18 Taylor is the one seed entering the Crossroads League Tournament held at Winterholter Field. TU faces the lowest seeded team remaining following Wednesday's games, meaning it plays one of Marian (22-25, 17-19 CL), Spring Arbor (22-26, 16-20) or Grace (18-30, 12-24), with the contest scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2.