Trojans Fall 7-4 to Crusaders at Avista NAIA World Series

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LEWISTON, Idaho – After rallying from a three-run deficit to pull even in the sixth, No. 1 Taylor (52-6) brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't complete the comeback in Friday's 7-4 setback to No. 19 William Carey (39-18) at the 2026 Avista NAIA World Series. The top-seeded Trojans will return to Harris Field on Saturday for a 3 p.m. elimination game against the No. 4 seed Doane.

The Trojans, who entered the 69th annual national championship averaging over 11 runs per game, couldn't produce timely hitting which proved to be the difference maker in the second all-time meeting against William Carey.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, were able to come through with clutch back-to-back, two-out hits in the top of the ninth to break the 4-4 tie, including a two-run double by Jayden Mark. The Trojans had intentionally walked WCU's top hitter in DeeJay Booth, who already homered in the game, before Taylor Walters found a single through the right side to plate the go-ahead run.

Both teams managed just seven hits against quality pitching on both sides. Luke Sutter went 2-for-5 to lead the TU lineup, including the game-tying RBI single in the sixth and a leadoff single in the ninth.

Brayden Manning, Quinn Kunkel, Nate Simpson, and Rylee Singleton each hit safely in the World Series opener. Singleton got the sixth-inning rally started with a pinch-hit RBI knock to pull the Trojans within two runs down 4-2. Then, Simpson scored on a wild pitch before Sutter's game-tying single to center field.

Manning, who extended his hit streak to 17 games and on-base streak to 36, laced an RBI single to put TU ahead 1-0 in the first, but the Trojans couldn't swing the momentum after stranding a pair of runners. That allowed the Crusaders to quickly respond with three runs in the next frame for a 3-1 lead. WCU tacked one more on the board with Booth's solo shot in the fifth for the 4-1 advantage.

TU ended up leaving 10 total runners on base throughout the day, including at least one stranded in every inning except the fifth and seventh frames. The Trojans also grounded into a season-high three double plays on the day.

One of the best scoring opportunities came in the fourth inning, when TU loaded the bases with one away following a pinch-hit single by Kunkel. However, the Trojans were unable to keep the line moving.

On the mound, starter Wes Hunt (3 H, 3 ER) went two frames while Nathan Frady registered a team-high four innings and four strikeouts in relief work, giving up only one hit on the Booth long ball.

Seniors Nick Crabtree, Jake Boyer and Gage Gongwer each made relief appearances on the bump for the Trojans. Boyer entered to face Mark in the top of the seventh, with two strikes and with a pair of runners aboard and got him swinging to end the threat.

WCU hurler Matthew Davis, the Southern States Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, bounced back from his worst start of the season in the NAIA Opening Round with eight strikeouts across 5.1 innings against the Trojans. The right-hander threw 119 pitches and was able to work around six walks and four hits in the no-decision.

The Trojans then managed just one hit against reliever Jimmie Johnson, who closed out the final 3.2 innings on the mound for the Crusaders.

In the final at-bat, Sutter led off the ninth with a rope to right field and Manning was plunked in the back to put the first two runners on base. That brought Malott to the plate as the tying run, who fended off a two-strike count over an eight-pitch at-bat but came up short. The contest ended two pitches later with a game-ending double play.

TU will look to extend the season with Saturday's matchup against the fourth-seeded Doane squad, which also fell 7-3 in an upset loss to the No. 7 seed MACU.