Trojans Drop a Pair of High-Scoring Affairs Against No. 8 Marian

UPLAND, Ind. – On a day when both offenses ran rampant, the high-powered No. 8 Marian Knights out-slugged the Trojans, scoring 28 compared to 14 runs in the twin-billing on Monday night. 

Taylor (25-21, 17-15 CL) fell 16-7 in the opener before a 12-7 defeat in the nightcap, unable to slow down the high-octane Marian offense in either game. 

The Trojans fell behind 13-0 in the first game of the day before waking up and making things interesting beginning in the bottom of the third. 

Kaylee Larkin laced a two-out single to center to plate Madisyn Standridge, who reached earlier in the inning on a well-placed bunt to get TU on the board. 

Katie Kottlowski kept the Knights scoreless in the top of the fourth, and a new pitcher walked the first two Trojans on eight pitches. Brooke Sanchez stepped to the plate and watched her first strike before unloading an opposite-field home run to force the starting pitcher back into the game.

The reentering starter did not stop the offense as Delaynee McCreary singled and stole second before a base hit allowed her to score. Larkin came to the plate again and blasted a no-doubt line shot home run to left field to get TU within six at 13-7. 

The rally fell short there, with Marian (37-9, 25-7 CL) scoring three more to win 16-7.

Marian and Taylor traded runs to begin the nightcap, with Aleyah Rastetter nabbing a sharp line drive with the bases loaded to keep three runs off the board before Jersey Tannehill lined a shot off the opposing pitcher, which ricocheted between first and second to allow Rastetter to cross the plate. 

Two-out run-scoring hits gave the Knights two runs in the third and three more in the fifth to grab a 6-1 lead. 

Sanchez started things off with her second single of the game in the bottom of the fifth, and the Trojans rolled from there. The bases were juiced for Rastetter, who ripped a line drive double, which rolled away the way to the wall in left-center field for three RBI. The rally continued, and another run scored on a sacrifice fly by Tannehill. Hannah Pack came to the plate and rocketed a line shot off the wall in left to plate two more runs and give Taylor its only lead of the day at 7-6. 

The lead did not last long, with the leadoff batter getting on and scoring on a home run the next pitch. The Knights scored three more in the inning and added another in the seventh to win 12-7. 

The Trojans loaded the bases with one out in the final frame but were unable to push them across the plate.

Taylor is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Goshen (23-21, 12-18 CL) on Tuesday, April 23, to finish up its home slate of games, with the first pitch set for 4:00 pm.