Taylor's Power Display Fuels Doubleheader Sweep at MVNU

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – No. 3 Taylor launched seven home runs and collected 26 hits across two games as the Trojans swept a Crossroads League doubleheader at Mount Vernon Nazarene on Friday, winning the opener 15-7 and taking the nightcap 7-2.

The Trojans (24-3, 12-2 CL) have now won six straight and recorded their eighth doubleheader sweep of the season. It was Taylor's first trip to Mount Vernon in three years, and the sweep gave TU nine wins in its last 10 meetings against the Cougars (14-9, 8-6 CL).

Fletcher Roemmich set the tone across both games, going 4 for 8 with two home runs and four RBIs on the day. His solo blast leading off the fourth inning in the opener started a stretch of three TU homers in two innings, and his two-run shot in the fifth inning of Game 2 was his third long ball in as many games.

In Game 1, Taylor jumped ahead 3-0 in the first on a fielding error and a sacrifice fly from Brennan Frickel, but MVNU's Ryan Willoughby answered immediately with a three-run homer to tie the score. But the tie didn't last long.

Luke Sutter broke out of a recent slump with a three-run shot to center in the second inning that put the Trojans ahead for good at 6-3. The homer was Sutter's sixth of the year, matching his career high set last season.

From there, Taylor kept swinging a hot bat. Roemmich and Jordan Malott hit solo home runs in the fourth to push the lead to 8-4, with Malott's eighth homer of the season — the 42nd of his career — extending his RBI total to 36. Frickel, the reigning CL Player of the Week, opened the fifth with another solo shot, and Nate Simpson and Sam Gladd strung together consecutive doubles in the sixth to make it 12-4.

Every Taylor starter recorded at least one hit, and five players drove in multiple runs. Frickel finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs and two sacrifice flies while continuing to rake in conference play. Gladd went 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, and Peter Ensign added a 3 for 3 day with an RBI. The 19 hits were the second-most in a single game this season for the Trojans.

Brody Fine earned the win to improve to 6-2, striking out six over five innings. Hunter Doran worked a scoreless sixth before Gage Gongwer closed the final three frames with three strikeouts.

In Game 2, Wes Hunt dominated the nightcap holding the Cougars to one hit over five scoreless innings. The senior righty worked around four walks while inducing a pair of double-play groundouts, improving to 4-0 on the season.

Ben Kennedy provided the early offense with a two-run homer to center in the second inning — his third of the season and the 20th of his career.

Taylor broke it open in the fifth when Quinn Kunkel doubled to right as a pinch hitter, Roemmich followed with his two-run blast, and Brayden Manning went deep on the very next pitch for a solo shot that made it 5-0. Manning's eighth homer of the season tied Malott for the team lead and was the 35th of his career.

Kaid Carpenter drove in the Cougars' only runs with a two-out, two-RBI single in the sixth off Nathan Frady, who relieved Hunt and struck out four over the final two innings.

Taylor added two insurance runs in the seventh on an error and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Frickel.

The Trojans continue Crossroads League play Saturday with another doubleheader at Mount Vernon Nazarene. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Game 1.