Four Trojans Collect All-CL Honors

Crossroads League Release | TU Honors Page

JACKSON, Mich. – As Taylor prepares to play in the NAIA National Tournament, four Trojans were recognized as 2022 All-Crossroads League standouts. Senior Ashton Whitman led the way, garnering her first First-Team All-Crossroads League honor.

Additionally, Maddi Evans and Emma West were named Second-Team All-Crossroads League, while Caitlyn Grim was voted to the Crossroads League Honorable Mention Team.

The group led the Trojans to 26 wins, including victories over No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 14 Marian, No. 16 Marian and an impressive Crossroad League Tournament run that secured them a bid in the NAIA National Tournament.

Holding down the third spot in the lineup, Whitman provided a consistent threat for the Trojans offense throughout the season. Whitman, along with West, topped the team with 61 hits throughout the season. The righty led the team in runs batted in (41), batting average (.365), and doubles (13), while placing second on the team in home runs (6) and on-base percentage (.414). The senior recorded a hit in 33 of the first 38 games of the season, including two hit-streaks of ten-or-more games apiece. The Kalamazoo Michigan, native was defensively stout behind the plate as well, throwing out 12 runners attempting to steal, which topped the Crossroads League and ranked 19th in the NAIA.

West, after earning a First-Team All CL nod a year ago, grabbed second team honors on the back of another solid year in the leadoff spot for TU. West led the Trojans in runs scored (43), walks (26), stolen bases (8) and OBP (.453), while placing second in BA (.357). West finished the season strong with a ten-game hitting streak, in which she had multiple base knocks in six of those contests.

Evans, who took home First-Team All CL hardware last year, was also named on the second team, leading Taylor in the circle for yet another season. Evans led the Trojans in every pitching statistic, highlighted by compiling a 3.22 earned run average and striking out 173 batters. The righties' strikeout totaled placed her second in the CL and 23rd in NAIA in strikeouts, while she also ranked 20th in innings pitched (171.2) and 58th in complete games pitched (14).

Evans was also effective at the plate, leading the team in home runs (7), while placing second in runs scored (32) and doubles (12).

In addition to an outstanding year, the Fairmount, Indiana native also set the TU program record for career strikeouts, finishing with 529, which is 103 ahead of second place for the Trojans. Evans set the single season record for strikeouts with 263 her junior year and the 183 this season places second on the list for Taylor.

Grim continued to have a productive career for Taylor and gathered her first All-Crossroads League recognition as an Honorable Mention selection. Grim set career-highs in both RBI (35) and BA. (.319), while collecting 51 hits and eight sacrifice flies, which not only led the Crossroads League but placed her second in the NAIA.

The All-Crossroads League honors are voted on by the 10 head coaches from around the league and announced by the Crossroad League office.