Noah and Foy Excel in the Circle to Lead Taylor to a Sweep Over RV IU Southeast

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – After two high-scoring affairs over the weekend, the Trojans' pitching staff was dominant on Monday afternoon, not allowing a single earned run during a doubleheader sweep of RV IU Southeast (6-9). 

Mackenzie Noah and Mady Foy combined to allow one unearned run across a pair of complete game victories and allowed ten runners to reach base throughout the twin-billing. The dynamic duo issued only two walks while striking out five batters and shut down the Grenadiers offense, who had just put up 15 runs against IU South Bend in a doubleheader a day earlier.

TU needed every bit of the excellent pitching as the offense plated only three runs in the doubleheader but came away with a 1-0 win in the opener before securing a 2-1 victory in the finale.  

Noah (3-3) had her best stuff in the opener, tossing a complete game shutout to earn her third victory of the season. The shutout was the fifth of her Taylor career, which put her in a tie for fifth-most all time in program history. Noah allowed only two baserunners to reach scoring position, including the first inning, where she forced two weak ground outs after a runner stole second. 

The Trojan offense struggled to push runners across the plate despite a plethora of opportunities. Madisyn Standridge continued to use her speed, swiping four bases in the game as she reached base in all three of her plate appearances via two singles and a walk. 

Taylor found the breakthrough in the fourth inning when Jersey Tannehill walked to begin the frame. Maddie Schultz pinch ran and advanced to second on a wild pitch before a sacrifice bunt moved her to third with one out. Delaney Barton delivered the clutch hit with a line drive single to center that drove in Schultz as the lone run of the opener. 

Noah tossed consecutive one-two-three innings to close the game and close the book on her second shutout of the season in just six starts. 

Foy (2-2) came in and did her best to upstage the terrific outing by Noah, allowing only one hit and issuing one walk through the first six innings of scoreless ball. An unearned run in the final frame denied the sophomore a shutout, but Foy made sure there was no drama by inducing a weak ground ball to second to finish the game. 

The Trojans took an early lead in the second game, with Kaylee Larkin ripping a single down the right field line to plate Aleyah Rastetter, who laced a one-out double. 

TU put runners in scoring position the next two frames, but timely hitting continued to evade the bats, with the lead staying at one run. 

Larkin launched her third home run of the campaign and eighth extra-base hit of the year in the top of the sixth to double the lead with a solo shot to left-center field. Larkin's blast highlighted her great game at the plate, going 3-3 with two RBI and a run, as she continues to lead the Trojan offense in hits (15), RBI (10), doubles (5), and home runs (3) among other categories. 

Taylor (7-5) continues its tough non-league schedule on the road with a doubleheader against RV Indiana Tech (7-0) on Wednesday, March 6, with first pitch slated for 2:00 pm.