Lehmann Sets Taylor Career Doubles Record in Sweep of Grace
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Livie Lehmann ripped a pair of doubles in a sweep of Grace to put her name on the top of the program record books in career doubles with a tally of 56 and counting for the talented junior.
Lehmann holds the career record now in just two-and-a-half seasons to go along with the top two single seasons for doubles at 22 and 21.
Taylor (16-6, 7-3 CL) went on the road and took a pair of games against Grace to move into third place in the CL, a game behind two teams tied at the top.
The opener was a back-and-forth battle between the Trojans and Lancers, as Lehmann doubled home a run in the first frame to secure the record and scored on a two-bagger by Kaylee Larkin.
After Grace responded with three runs in the bottom of the first, Madisyn Standridge rocketed a two-run triple to retake the lead and trotted home on a home run by Lehmann for a three-run advantage.
Taylor stretched the lead to four before Grace continued to take advantage of free bases viz walks to score three to tie it in the fourth before retaking the lead at 8-7, with two innings remaining.
Emri Age reached to begin the frame and stole second before scoring on a single by Grace Mullins to knot the game at eight. Larkin delivered a long single to drive in a run, and a key insurance run was added on a single by Delaynee McCreary for a 10-8 lead.
Grace (4-12, 0-10 CL) challenged to push the game to extra innings in the bottom of the seventh, scoring once and placing runners on the corners with two outs before a tame fly ball ended the contest.
The Trojans ran away with the nightcap, defeating the Lancers 13-3 in five innings.
Larkin found her power stroke in the game, launching a pair of two-run home runs in the opening two frames as Taylor built a commanding 8-0 lead. The junior finished the day with six RBI and four hits in six at-bats to push her batting average to .420 and on-base percentage to .512.
Bella Browning continued her stellar debut collegiate season with a pair of doubles, two runs, and two RBI in a start at second base.
Grace didn't score until it was 9-0, and three runs in the third were not enough to keep the game going after four runs in the fourth were highlighted by back-to-back doubles from Standridge and Lehmann to lead off the inning.
Taylor had its scheduled doubleheader for Saturday, March 22, against Saint Francis (12-6, 5-3 CL) moved to Wednesday, March 26, on the road beginning at 3:00 pm. The Trojans will take the diamond next on Tuesday, March 25, at home with a doubleheader against Bethel (7-15, 2-6 CL) set to start at 4:00 pm.