Knepp Surpasses 200 Career Hits in Heartbreaking CLT Defeat

CL Championships Central

UPLAND, Ind. – Senior outfielder Camden Knepp became the 12th Trojan in program history to record 200 career hits with his game-high three base knocks in No. 18 Taylor's 9-6 defeat on day three of the Crossroads League Tournament held at Winterholter Field.

TU (38-14) came back from an early deficit to take a 4-2 lead into the ninth inning, but Huntington (30-20) scored seven runs with two outs in their final turn at the dish to come back and keep its season alive.

Friday's matinee had all the makings of a pitcher's duel, with sophomore Nick Crabtree and HU's starter Graham Kollen going toe to toe through six innings of a 2-2 game.

The Foresters got an early run off Crabtree by drawing walks and running the bases aggressively, but the left-hander kept a no-hitter going through four full frames.

Huntington broke up the no-no in the fifth frame and scored another run, but the Trojans came back to tie it in the bottom of the inning with three straight doubles from Luke Picchiotti, Ben Kennedy and Fletcher Roemmich, and nearly took the lead on a tight play at home.

Crabtree ended his day going six strong with just the three hits and two runs against, and Jack Ross got the call to begin the seventh inning.

After breezing through the seventh, Ross escaped a two-on, nobody-out jam in the eighth unscathed to keep the Foresters at their two runs through that point.

Meanwhile, Knepp recorded his second hit of the day and 200th of his collegiate career on a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh, and Taylor tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth on a single from pinch hitter Luke Sutter to take a 4-2 lead.

Huntington then stacked five singles, a walk and a defensive miscue together all with two outs in the top of the ninth to take a 9-4 advantage. Though the Trojans threatened in the bottom of the frame and pushed across runs on another Knepp single and an RBI from Brayden Manning, the deficit was too large to overcome.

No. 18 Taylor must now win out to advance in the Crossroads League Tournament. TU plays RV Indiana Wesleyan (34-14) at 11 a.m. on Saturday and, with a win, would play again at Winterholter Field on Saturday at 6 p.m. versus Saint Francis (36-15).