Trojans Sweep Superlative CL Player, Pitcher and Coach Awards for Second-Straight Year

2025 CL Baseball Awards | TU Honors Page

JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2025 baseball award winners on Wednesday, and No. 9 Taylor swept the Player, Pitcher and Coach of the Year honors for the second year in a row en route to a total of 14 accolades earned.

Taking home the top player honors were Kaleb Kolpien and Gabel Pentecost, respectively.

Both Kolpien and Pentecost lead the league in several key categories, as Kolpien notched his third First-Team All-CL honor and second superlative award after being named CL Newcomer of the Year in 2022. For his part, Pentecost made it back-to-back years as the CL Pitcher of the Year, also taking home his second first-team nod.

Head coach Kyle Gould, meanwhile, was named the CL Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his 21-year tenure, including for the third consecutive season. Gould has led the Trojans to a program-best 46-9 record in 2025, including setting the program's single-season mark of 32 conference victories. TU's skipper also crossed 700 coaching wins this year, with his current coaching record sitting at 736-376.

In all, Taylor grabbed eight First-Team All-Crossroads League honors (five position players, three pitchers) in Kolpien, Mason David, Sam Gladd, Brayden Manning, Luke Sutter, Pentecost, Brody Fine and Jake Boyer.

Kolpien highlighted a trio of First-Team All-CL outfielders for TU during a season in which the senior has batted .428 with 70 RBIs (both CL-bests), while also showing major pop in his bat with a team-high-tying 15 home runs. Kolpien has made an All-Crossroads League First- or Second-Team in all four years of his career, and he is the program's all-time hits leader with 321 base knocks.

David made his third All-Crossroads League team in as many seasons, as the 2024 CL Player of the Year had an even better season at the plate in 2025. He is producing a career-best slash line across the board of .377/.506/.618, while setting his single-season highs in hits (78) and home runs (12). The leadoff man for TU set the program's all-time runs record earlier this season, and he is currently tied for the program's single-season mark of 75 runs scored in 2025.

Gladd is also having a career season after hitting his way to a second-team nod in 2024. The first baseman is slugging .651 with his 15 homers that puts him at 36 big flies in his career, a figure that ranks third on the program's all-time list.

Manning made the All-CL First Team for the second straight season while putting up his best-ever numbers in his junior season. The outfielder and first baseman's bat has been red-hot hitting in the middle of the order, as Manning is slashing a career-best .374/.473/.601 while amassing a career-high 28 extra-base hits, including four triples and seven homers.

Sutter's First-Team All-CL recognition is the first in the sophomore's career, and it comes in his first season of seeing extended action. The lefty bat has hit for a remarkable .382 average while playing strong corner-outfield defense with three assists. Sutter has also showcased his power with 14 doubles, three triples and five homers.

Among first-team pitchers, Pentecost leads the group and the league with 108 strikeouts in 2025, placing him just three strikeouts off TU's single-season record. The junior's 2.75 ERA and 1.06 WHIP speak for themselves, and his pitching record of 12-1 stands as the most single-season pitching victories for anyone wearing a Trojan uniform. Pentecost is already up to 268 career strikeouts, second all-time in the Kyle Gould era.

Fine has complemented Pentecost, often working as the staff's No. 2 starter. The junior transfer has overpowered hitters all season with a jaw-dropping 14.04 strikeouts per nine average. Fine has pitched to a record of 5-2 with 91 strikeouts, a 1.15 WHIP and a 4.17 ERA in his debut season with the Trojans.

Boyer rounds out the First-Team All-Crossroads League nods for Taylor as a combo-starting pitcher and reliever. The junior right-hander has worked to a career-best 7-2 record with four saves while racking up 58 strikeouts in 46.2 innings. He has posted a WHIP of 1.01 and a career-low ERA of 2.51, dominating any role he's been given in 2025.

The Trojans also notched a Second-Team All-Crossroads League player in Luke Picchiotti, and two Gold Glove winners in Ben Kennedy and the aforementioned Picchiotti.

Picchiotti, a senior centerfielder, has collected double-digit home runs for the second straight year while batting a career-best .314 with a team-high 51 walks. The left-handed speedster has also stolen 15 bases, displayed incredible range in the outfield and come through in the clutch with several game-altering homers in the latter half of the season.

Kennedy picked up a CL Gold Glove at shortstop, where he has collected 98 assists, been involved in 12 double plays and come through with a career-best .969 fielding percentage. The junior consistently makes highlight-reel plays on the diamond, and his bat has delivered career-bests of six home runs and a .497 slugging percentage.

No. 9 Taylor and its nine All-Crossroads League players' next challenge comes in the 2025 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at Winterholter Field, beginning Monday, May 12, with a 4 p.m. matchup versus RV Grand View (34-11).