No. 1 Trojans Cruise Past Goshen 19-0 for 17th Straight Win

GOSHEN, Ind. – No. 1 Taylor blanked Goshen 19-0 in seven innings Thursday after a three-hour weather delay, running its winning streak to 17 games. The streak is the second-longest active run in the NAIA behind Bellevue's 19 and tied for fourth-longest across the NAIA and all three NCAA levels combined.

The Trojans (35-3, 23-2 CL), who have now scored 11 or more runs in nine consecutive games, finished with 12 different players recording a hit, 11 driving in a run and 13 scoring at least once in the road victory.

Sam Gladd led the offense (2 for 3, 2B, 4 RBIs), while Brennan Frickel (2 for 3, 2B, 2 RBIs) and Jace Schrock (2 for 2, HR, 2 RBIs) each had multi-hit, multi-RBI days. Quinn Kunkel added two hits (2 for 4, 2B).

Fletcher Roemmich (1 for 3, 2 RBIs), Luke Sutter (1 for 4, 2 RBIs) and Ben Kennedy (1 for 3, 2 RBIs) each drove in a pair as well.

TU was held scoreless through the first two innings before breaking through with a five-run third. Kunkel singled to lead off the frame, and Schrock followed with a walk before Roemmich singled to left center to plate the game's first run. Sutter added an RBI single to center.

After Jordan Malott walked to load the bases, Frickel drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0. Gladd capped the inning with a two-run double to right field, pushing the lead to 5-0.

Wes Hunt made sure that was more than enough. The right-hander tied a season high with five innings of work, scattering two hits with no walks and four strikeouts to earn his fifth win of the season and 11th of his career.

Four of Hunt's five victories have come on the road, where he carries a 0.72 ERA in six starts. He now owns the Crossroads League's lowest ERA at 1.82, just ahead of teammate Brody Fine (1.89). Nick Crabtree closed it out with two perfect innings, striking out three.

TU tacked on four more in the fifth. Malott walked and Frickel doubled down the left-field line before Gladd lifted a sacrifice fly to score Malott. Kennedy drove in Frickel with a groundout, and Schrock launched a two-run homer to left, his third in 10 appearances this season, to make it 9-0.

The sixth inning put the game away. Frickel singled to right center for an RBI and Gladd singled up the middle, Kennedy singled through the left side and Kunkel ripped an RBI double to right as TU sent 12 batters to the plate and scored seven times. Roemmich and Sutter each drew bases-loaded walks during the frame to push the lead to 16-0.

The Trojans added three more in the seventh off the bench. Tyler Klemme connected on his first career home run, a solo shot to right field, and Peter Ensign and Tyler Allemeier each delivered RBI singles to close the scoring at 19-0.

Frickel extended his hitting streak to 17 games and continues to lead the Crossroads League with a .448 batting average. Kennedy has now reached safely in 21 consecutive games, and Sutter's on-base streak reached 11 straight. Roemmich has reached base in every game this season and has at least one hit in all but three contests.

Brayden Manning had his 16-game hitting streak snapped but still reached base for a 17th consecutive outing on a walk and a fielder's choice. He sits second in the Crossroads League with a .430 average behind Frickel. Malott has now driven in a run in seven straight games with 14 RBIs over a nine-game span, sitting one behind the CL leader with 58 on the season.

The scheduled nightcap was postponed due to the delay. TU and Goshen resume the series on Friday with first pitch set for 4:00 p.m.