Patient Approach at the Plate Fuels 17-run Victory Against Bethel

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Taylor walked 16 times in a 17-4 victory over Bethel (5-11, 1-3 CL) before dropping the nightcap in Crossroads League action on the road Saturday.

The offense surge from Friday's sweep of Moun Vernon Nazarene continued for the Trojans in the opener on Saturday on the road against Bethel, with 17 runs for a dominant run-rule victory.

Four players registered hits for TU, as Bella Browning led the bunch with a career-best four base knocks. The sophomore shortstop had four RBI, a pair of doubles and scored twice as she has excelled in the three hole this year.

Joining Browning with multiple hits were Kaylee Larkin, Jayci Kitchen and Madisyn Standridge. Standridge had a double and two RBI in two at bats along with a pair of walks and three runs scored in her best game of the season. Larking continued her power surge this week with another double and a pair of RBI, while Kitchen continued to get on base with two hits and two walks and three runs scored.

The Pilots took the lead in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs before Taylor exploded for four in the second to take the lead.

Browning and Standridge both laced RBI doubles in the second as TU gained the lead for the first time. Standridge delivered the first big hit with an RBI double to drive in ava Everman before Browning had a two-RBI double to push the lead to 4-2.

Bethel responded with a run in the bottom of the frame and threatened in the third with the first two runners reaching. Katie Kottlowski came in and shut the door on the Pilots and kept the lead intact before the offense blew it away in the next two innings. The lefty threw three innings and allowed one run while striking out three for her second win of the season.

The Taylor offense exploded for six runs in the fourth after the first three batters walked, and Browning had another two-RBI double, followed by a two-RBI double of the bat of Larkin. An RBI walk by Addison Messer preceded a sacrifice fly by Delaynee McCreary to cap the scoring in the frame.

Seven runs in the fifth were due mostly to a patient approach at the plate which saw Bethel walk in four runs as the lead ballooned to 17-3 at the end of the inning.

The Trojans offense could not find push a run across in the nightcap, falling 4-0 despite nine hits and four walks from the offense.

The clutch hit evaded the Trojans as they left a runner on base every inning.

Messer had her best collegiate game with three hits in three at-bats while Larkin and Standridge continued their strong play as each got a pair of singles, but no extra base knocks for TU kept the offense down.

Bethel scored once in the bottom of the first and hit a three-run home run I the bottom of the sixth as Kottlowski was effective inside the circle in six innings. The senior hurler had five strikeouts and one walk in the loss after picking up the win in relief in the opener.

Taylor (10-8, 5-1 CL) is set to face cross-county rival RV Indiana Wesleyan (11-5, 4-0 CL) on the road on Tuesday in its next action on the diamond, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm.