Noah’s Gem and Timely Hitting Lifts Trojans Past Maple Leafs in CL Action

UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor secured a doubleheader split against Goshen on Tuesday, winning the opener off the back of terrific pitching and timely hitting before dropping the nightcap at Gudakunst Field.

Mackenzie Noah turned in one of her best outings of the season with a complete game victory, surrendering three runs, only two earned, and striking out three inside the circle. The senior hurler had amazing command and did not walk any batters to notch her seventh win of the season and 41st of her Taylor career.

The Trojans' timely hitting began in the bottom of the second when Bella Browning drove in Delaney Barton in the bottom of the second with two outs, with a single to left center to level the game at one.

Barton continued the terrific clutch hitting in the next frame after Goshen walked Kaylee Larkin to load the bases with two outs. The backstop battled to a full count and fouled a couple of pitches before dumping a single into right-center to plate a pair of Trojans. Delaynee McCreary followed with an RBI single to left field to push the lead to three.

Goshen scraped a couple of runs across to cut the deficit to one in the sixth before McCreary ripped a leadoff double and scored on a single to right by freshman Hannah Lickey for an insurance run.

Noah (7-4) then closed the door on a comeback in the seventh, striking out the final batter looking to end the game with runners on first and second.

The nightcap began with a bang as Livie Lehmann slammed a two-run home run to match Goshen (9-17, 5-11 CL) as the teams sat knotted at two after the opening inning.

Claire Cullen (9-3) continually worked around traffic in four innings of work as she struck out six batters and left six batters stranded to keep Taylor in the contest.

The Maple Leafs offense got going late with four runs in the final three innings to pull away from the Trojans, as the only offense from the home team was a solo home run by Madisyn Standridge.

Taylor (20-10, 9-7 CL) is set to continue league play with a pair of games against Mount Vernon Nazarene (15-10, 8-8 CL) on Friday, April 4, with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 pm at Gudakunst Field.