Trojans Cruise Past Maple Leafs
GOSHEN, Ind. – The Taylor softball team traveled to Goshen College Monday afternoon for a Crossroads League doubleheader. The Trojans defeated the Maple Leafs in both contests, improving their record to 18-20 overall and 9-13 in conference. TU's bats were on fire, taking game one 10-1 and completing the sweep 6-2 in game two.
Ashley Miller started off strong for TU, blasting a three-run homer to deep left center to score Morgan Allison and Lauren Ehle on the first pitch of her at-bat.
In the second inning the Trojan bats continued to heat up, as Jessie Britt ripped a double to deep left, followed by Anna Gunderson's single down the left field line. A wild pitch by the Maple Leafs allowed Britt to tag home plate, while a groundout to first by Olivia Hostetler brought in Gunderson.
Davis Carter continued the Trojans' momentum in the top of the third with a single, followed by Courtney Moriarty's two-run home run to deep center. Britt scored TU's eighth run off a Gunderson single to center.
Taylor added two more runs in the top of the fifth, by Hannah Castor's two-run homer to deep center, which plated Olivia Hostetler.
The Maple Leafs scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth. TU pitcher Ashley Miller struck out Goshen's last hope in extending the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Goshen struck first in the nightcap, scoring off a two-run home run deep down the left field line. TU fired back in the third with a three-run homer by Carter on a 0-0 count, plating Ehle and Hannah Simmons.
Neither team scored again until the top of the sixth, when Justice Carmichael's double deep to right scored Britt. Carter stayed hot in the seventh, slamming a two-run home run to deep left center on the first pitch of her at bat, which scored Briley Spencer.
Taylor's Courtney Moriarty improved her record to 4-7, pitching a complete game, giving up just two runs and striking out three.
In the first game, junior Alex Lovelace was walked for the 59th time in her career, surpassing the previous all-time walks record at TU, which Mel Mannix held at 58.
Miller's home run gave her 19 on her career, putting her second in career home runs, trailing only her teammate Ehle.
Lovelace went 3-6 on the day, bringing her to 217 career hits. The former All-American is now two away from tying TU's all-time hits record.
Taylor will travel to the University of Saint Francis on Wednesday, April 20. Game one of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. (ET).