No. 9 Taylor Extends Win Streak to Nine with DH Sweep

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – No. 9 Taylor improved to 9-0 for its best start in recorded team history after sweeping Friday's doubleheader and clinching the series win against RV St. Thomas. The Trojans won the first game by an 8-1 margin in seven innings, before completing a comeback for the 6-5 victory in the nightcap. Taylor will go for the four-game sweep on Saturday afternoon, with first pitch in the series finale set for 1 p.m. at Paul Demie Mainieri Field.

In Game 1, Taylor trailed 1-0 after St. Thomas scored on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the second inning. But Jordan Malott belted a three-run homer with two outs in the next half inning, a towering shot to left field off a 1-2 pitch, to put the Trojans ahead 3-1.

Fletcher Roemmich connected on a solo blast in the fifth, his first long ball of the season and fourth home run in his career and tacked on another RBI with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Kaden Wu also recorded a sac fly in the sixth, before Brayden Manning delivered a two-run double to extend the lead out to 8-1. Manning produced another big outing, going a combined 4 for 8 (.500) on the day with six RBIs, a double and three-run homer in the second game. The senior has hit safely in all nine games with seven multi-hit performances, .476 batting average and team-leading 17 RBIs.

St. Thomas attempted to score on a sac fly attempt in the bottom of the third, but Luke Sutter hosed the runner at the plate from right field to complete the inning-ending double play. It marked the first outfield assist of the season for Sutter, and the fourth in his career.

After escaping the bases-loaded jam in the second inning with some command issues, Wes Hunt settled in and found his groove with four innings of three-hit ball to improve to 2-0 on the year. Nathan Frady came on for three innings of relief to earn his sixth career save, posting three punchouts and just two hits allowed. The Bobcats had one runner reach safely in each of the final five frames, but nothing to show for it as Frady and Hunt locked in. Ben Kennedy flashed some leather and recorded the final out on a web gem at shortstop, snagging a hard liner out of the air to prevent a run.

STU's Diego Evans took his first loss on the bump, striking out seven across five innings but allowing six runs on six hits, three walks and pair of hit-by-pitches. Luis Morera led the Bobcats with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.

The Trojans outhit the Bobcats 7-5 in Friday's opener, led by Manning (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Roemmich (2-3, HR, 2 RBI) and Malott (1-2, HR, 3 RBI, BB). Nate Simpson singled in his return to the starting lineup, along with a single from Kennedy. Sutter also reached three times via walk.

In Game 2, Manning produced the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a single up the middle as Taylor completed the come-from-behind victory after the Trojans trailed 4-0 through six complete. Sutter scored on the play after he reached second base when he turned on a double down the right-field line in the previous at-bat.

Sutter and Manning had already pulled the Trojans back into the contest by plating five runs in the seventh. Following a pitching change, Roemmich singled to load the bases and push his hitting streak to six, before Sutter singled up the middle for two runs. Manning followed with his three-run shot to take a 5-4 advantage – the first lead of the contest for Taylor. Manning's home run marked his third of the season and 30th for his career.

St. Thomas got one run back to even the score at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh, setting up the dramatic finish for the Trojan offense. The Bobcats had scored twice in the second on a two-run homer and two more times in the third for the 4-0 lead.

Gage Gongwer went 4.2 innings in relief with six strikeouts and three unearned runs allowed on five hits. Starter Nick Crabtree struck out three and went two innings. Freshmen Brayden Stevenson and Luke Klunke slammed the door with four combined strikeouts and one hit allowed over the final 2.1 innings. Klunke was credited with his second win.

The Bobcats held the slight edge in hits during the nightcap, 8-7, while the Trojans committed three errors. STU's Gabriel Rangel (4-1) was saddled with the loss, while starter Ismael Cordoba tossed 5.2 shutout innings with nine strikeouts, two hits allowed and four walks.

Sutter and Manning each posted two-hit outings, with Malott tacking on his third double of the season.