Taylor Flexes Firepower in Lopsided Sweep of SAU

UPLAND, Ind. – Third-ranked Taylor got back in the win column with a pair of convincing victories over Spring Arbor (10-8, 6-4 CL) at a blustery Winterholter Field on Friday afternoon.

The Trojans rolled to a 17-3 run-ruled win in the opener, before adding a 15-6 win to complete the doubleheader sweep. TU pounded out 17 runs on 12 hits and received 10 walks in game-one, while clearing the fences five times. In the nightcap, the offense put up 15 runs on 15 hits and piled up six more extra-base knocks.

The trio of Jordan Malott, Brayden Manning and Brennan Frickel were in the middle of the action all day, combining for 15 hits in 19 at bats, 14 runs scored, four home runs and 12 runs batted in.

The Trojans scored crooked numbers in five of their six offensive innings in the first game in support of Brody Fine on the bump. The righty did not yield an earned run in his five innings and racked up 10 punch outs to improve to 5-0 on the season. Hunter Doran was also impressive in relief with three strikeouts over two scoreless frames to close the game.

Malott led the onslaught at the plate with three hits and three runs scored, with Manning going 2-4 with three runs, Frickel going 2-5 with five RBI and two runs and Ben Kennedy going 2-5 with two runs and two RBI. Each of the four Trojans swatted a home run in the game, in addition to a pinch-hit shot from Rylee Singleton, with Frickel clearing the batter's eye in dead-center and Malott blasting a ball nearly 460 feet to right-center.

It was more of the same in the second game, with Malott staying white-hot with a 4-5 showing that included a trio of doubles and three more runs batted in. Manning went 2-2 with his second home run of the day and four runs scored and Fletcher Roemmich, Frickel and Quinn Kunkel all adding multi-hit performances.

The knockout blow came via an eight-run outburst for TU in the third inning, as the first nine Trojans reached safely in the inning. Two-run doubles off the bats of Sam Gladd and Malott fueled the game-sealing rally.

The duo of Gage Gongwer and Luke Klunke helped close the game down, teaming for four innings with just one earned run in relief. Gongwer took the win on the hill, moving to 4-0 on the season with just one earned run allowed over his three innings of action on Friday.

No. 3 Taylor (20-3, 8-2 CL) and Spring Arbor will conclude their four-game set with another doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch at Winterholter Field set for 1:00 pm.