Five Trojans Pull All-Crossroads League Honors

Crossroads League Release | TU Honors Page

AVON, Ohio – Two pitchers headlined TU's All-Crossroads League selections, as Luke Shively and Mitch Ubelhor put together fantastic seasons on the mound. Josh Lane, Clay Riggins and Nick Rusche followed them up as All-Crossroads League Honorable Mentions.

Taylor's pitching staff was dominant in 2019, ranking in the top five for opponents' batting average and earned-run average throughout the campaign.

Shively played an important role as a starting hurler for the Trojans on his way to his first All-CL recognition. The sophomore righty offered 60.1 innings with a 2.39 ERA, which rated 28th in the NAIA. Shively also ranked amongst the top 20 in the nation with only 40 hits allowed, while holding foes to a .185 batting average.

Out of the bullpen, Ubelhor defined consistency with a team-best 1.08 ERA through 33.1 innings of work. The Avon, Indiana native picked up his second All-CL selection, after nabbing 54 strikeouts and seven saves with a .135 opponents' batting average in 2019.

Riggins also made an impact on the bump for his second career All-CL honor. The senior capped off his career with a 7-1 record through three starts, 21 appearances and 49.2 innings. The highlight of the season for Riggins was a stellar outing against Bethel in which he carried a perfect game through the first five frames of the contest.

Lane grabbed his third postseason league award in his career, as a Gold Glove Recipient in 2016 and an All-CL selection in 2018. The senior shortstop provided defensively and offensively for TU, assisting in 23 double plays, while adding all four of his career long balls.

Rusche also managed the middle infield as the team's second baseman with a near perfect .982 fielding percentage and the 21st most assists in the NAIA with 127. In his freshman campaign, Rusche tallied multiple team-highs at the plate with 16 doubles, 56 hits, 43 runs, 34 walks, a .309 batting average and .422 on-base percentage.

The Purple and Gold finished 2019 with the third-most wins for a single season in program-history, posting a 38-18 overall record. An impressive campaign capped off the winningest stretch in TU history, compiling 157 wins over four years.

TU will bring back three of its five All-CL performers for the 2020 season, with Shively, Ubelhor and Rusche all set to return.