Taylor Outscores Goshen 25-2 in Doubleheader Sweep

UPLAND, Ind. – The No. 10 Taylor baseball team (33-8, 24-4 CL) got dominant starting pitching from Wes Hunt and Jake Boyer, as patient, opportunistic offense lifted the Trojans to a doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon over Goshen (6-29, 5-22) with finals of 17-2 and 8-0.

The victories gave TU its sixth Crossroads League series win of the season, and they expanded the Trojans' lead in the CL standings to six games. Two more wins over the final eight regular season games would guarantee Taylor at least a share of the 2025 CL Regular Season Title.

In Saturday's opener, the scoreboard read 0-0 in the bottom of the second inning before a walk and hit-by-pitch parade handed the Purple and Grey their first two runs. Kaleb Kolpien then cleared the bases with a double over the left fielder's head to make it 5-0.

Luke Picchiotti continued his strong series at the plate with an RBI double to the right field corner in the third frame that plated Brayden Manning, and Brady Gerig delivered an RBI groundout to put the Trojans comfortably ahead, 7-0.

Meanwhile, Hunt (4-2) mowed down the Maple Leaf lineup, pitching four shutout innings with three strikeouts and one hit and one walk allowed.

Lane Lewis tossed the next two frames and struck out two while surrendering one run, but the Trojans continued to tack on to their lead.

Gerig executed a bunt single while Goshen's arms continued to struggle with their control, leading to another bases-loaded at-bat for Kolpien. The senior again brought in a trio of Trojans with a double, and by inning's end, it was 12-1, TU.

Sam Gladd found green grass for Taylor's third three-RBI double of the day in the sixth inning to put the Trojans ahead by two touchdowns. Pinch-hitter Hobie Raikes capped the home team's scoring by plating Gladd and Tyler Allemeier on a two-bagger that missed clearing the left-field wall by merely a couple feet.

Kolpien's six RBIs in the opener matched his single-game career high. Gerig and Drew Loy scored three runs apiece in the 17-2 blowout, in which the Maple Leafs were limited to one hit.

The finale on Saturday saw Taylor notch its second shutout of the series and fifth of the season, fueled by Boyer's five-inning start.

The junior right-hander efficiently sent down the first 10 GC batters he faced on his way to a clean six-strikeout, no-walk effort that improved his record to 4-2.

Boyer was given plenty of run support by the TU lineup, which struck for two first-inning runs on a single from Manning.

Another pair of runs came across in the third inning, and the Trojans got right back to work in the fourth beginning with a leadoff single off the bat of Nate Simpson. Kolpien and Picchiotti followed with singles, and they both later scored on wild pitches that put Taylor in front, 7-0.

After a single by pinch-hitter Parker Reinke in the sixth frame, Matthew Roderer tallied the series' last run by driving in Tyler Klemme with a base hit.

Nathan Frady closed TU's stellar day on the mound by working two inning and collecting a pair of strikeouts.

No. 10 Taylor looks to secure its place in the 2025 NAIA Baseball Opening Round when it begins a series at Indiana Wesleyan (23-13, 18-10 CL) on Thursday, April 17.