![Evans Fires a No-Hitter in RV Taylor's Sweep of Goshen](/images/2020-21/Softball/SB_Action21_Evans_IWU_1.jpg)
Evans Fires a No-Hitter in RV Taylor's Sweep of Goshen
GOSHEN, Ind. – In what has been a phenomenal junior season in the circle for Maddi Evans, the former Madison-Grant standout put together one of her best performances in a Trojan uniform, recording her first collegiate no-hitter in the first game of RV Taylor's two-game sweep of Goshen. Evans' no-no was the first thrown by a Taylor pitcher since Darby Shaw no-hit Benedictine University at Mesa back on January 29, 2020.
Evans' dominance, combined with 10 hits from the Taylor offense, led to a 7-0 victory in game one, before five runs in the first three innings of game two resulted in an eventual 6-1 triumph.
Evans (9-2) locked up the Goshen (12-14, 3-8 CL) lineup in her fifth complete game of the season, recording a career-high 16 strikeouts and allowing just three total baserunners, none of whom advanced past second base. Additionally, the Fairmount, Indiana native pitched four three-up, three-down innings, striking out the side in two of those frames.
While Evans dealt in the circle, the Taylor offense gave her all kinds of support. Lauren Kanai was outstanding from the dish in the opener, batting 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs, her fifth and sixth of the season, two runs scored, and three runs batted in. Emma West and Kristin Mihalic each collected a pair of knocks, while Evans and Kara Tucker each added a hit and an RBI.
Evans started the scoring in game one, plating Lexi Abruzzo and Mihalic with a two-run single to give the Trojans an early lead. In the fourth inning, Kanai hit a solo shot to center field, and one frame later, the Grand Rapids, Michigan native crushed a two-run bomb to left to make it a 5-0 Taylor advantage. Tucker and Ashton Whitman added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh, both recording sacrifice flies to cap off the scoring for the Trojans.
Evans closed the game out with authority, inducing a fly out and a ground out before striking out the final batter she faced to secure the no-hitter.
After her two home runs in the opener, Kanai got the offense rolling in game two, doubling home West in the first inning. Kanai would later score on a wild pitch, giving the Trojans a 2-0 lead. In the second, Whitman hit an RBI double to center field, scoring Taylor Wilson and Abruzzo to increase Taylor's advantage to 4-0.
Caitlyn Grim recorded her first collegiate home run in the third inning, before Tucker added an RBI single in the sixth, helping to secure the Trojans' seventh league victory.
Kanai (8-4) collected her eighth win, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out four in five innings of work. Cassy Lewis also pitched well down the stretch, collecting a pair of strikeouts in the final two frames.
Wilson collected two hits and a run scored in game two, while West, Tucker, Whitman, Kanai, and Grim each finished with one hit apiece.
Taylor returns home to Gudakunst Field on Tuesday where it will face off against No. 5 Marian (20-6, 9-1 CL) in a two-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm.