![Trojans Clinch NAIA Nationals Appearance with Victory over No. 25 MVNU](/images/2022-23/Softball/McCreary_Celebration_CLT.jpg)
Trojans Clinch NAIA Nationals Appearance with Victory over No. 25 MVNU
Crossroads League Championships Central
MVNU Postgame Celebration | MVNU Highlights
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. – Taylor reached the Crossroads League Championship for a second-straight season, which booked its place in the NAIA Opening Rounds, beginning Monday, May 15.
Mackenzie Noah continued her outstanding postseason form, throwing a complete game and holding the potent No. 25 Mount Vernon Nazarene (33-16) offense to a single unearned run. Noah completed the CL Tournament with four victories and 23-and-two-thirds innings pitched.
Caitlyn Grim had a great day at the plate, notching five base knocks and two runs scored for the Trojans.
Taylor picked up the game's first run in the second inning. Singles by Delaney Barton and Grim set the table for Madisyn Standridge to lay down a sacrifice bunt which forced a throwing error by the MVNU catcher that allowed pinch-runner Meg Stanley to score from second and open the scoring.
Holding a 1-0 lead, Noah escaped a jam in the bottom of the fourth. The Cougars paced runners on second and third with one out before a tame fly ball preceded a nice running catch by Chelsea Bowland in left field to keep MVNU scoreless.
The Trojans added to their lead with a sacrifice fly by Aleyah Rastetter that plated Bowland from third for a 2-0 advantage.
Jersey Tannehill delivered a clutch two-RBI single with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth to expand the lead to 4-0 and end the day for the Cougars' starting pitcher.
MVNU finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an unearned run to cut the deficit to three, but Noah denied them in the final frame to book TU's place in the championship game.
No. 9 Marian jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the Championship game after scoring runs in each of its first two at-bats.
Taylor continued to be unfazed and smack the ball around, plating three runs in the bottom of the third to even up the game. Emma West singled and advanced to third on Rastetter's second double of the game. West scored on a groundout before Barton had a line drive single that plated Rastetter on an errant throw. Barton was driven in by freshmen classmate Standridge two batters later to level the game.
The Knights responded with a run in the top of the fifth to retake the lead.
The lead was brief, as Taylor saw Grim score on a looping live drive single by Standridge to left field to even the score again.
The game went into extra innings, as each team struggled to get a baserunner in the final two innings, and the score remained level through the eighth.
The Knights broke through in the ninth with two runs that gave Marian (45-6) a 6-4 victory.
Mady Foy pitched all nine innings, holding the powerful Knights offense to six runs in an impressive display by the freshman.
Taylor (26-30) will wait to see where they will be playing in the NAIA Opening Rounds during the NAIA softball selection show Tuesday, May 9, at 5:00 pm. No matter their destination, the Trojans will play Monday, May 15.