Senior Day Sweep of Goshen Caps Regular Season for Trojans

UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor capped its regular season with a sweep of Goshen on Saturday's Senior Day, a tight 1-0 victory in the opener preceded a 9-0 run-rule victory to finish the regular season strong and secure the four seed in the Crossroads League Tournament, allowing them to avoid the play-in game.

Seven TU seniors were honored, Madisyn Standridge, Livie Lehmann, Brooke Sanchez, Delaynee McCreary, Kaylee Larkin, Katie Kottlowski, and Delaney Barton between the games at Gudakunst Field.

Lehmann made her return to the lineup after sitting most of this season and showed why her bat is special, going 4-4, with a trio of doubles and a walk. Lehmann ballooned her career double total to 66, 12 more than anybody else in program history.

Taylor edged out a 1-0 win in the opener as Claire Cullen (11-8) was fantastic inside the circle. Cullen struggled with command early in the game, walking three and hitting one of the first six batters, but a double play in the first helped get her out of trouble. The sophomore settled in and dominated thereafter and retired 16 of the next 18 batters she faced and fanned six along the way. Kottlowski came in to record the final two outs and notch her ninth career save, the second most in program history.

Offensively, Taylor (25-23, 20-16 CL) could not string together many hits and left five on base in the first three innings as the contest remained scoreless.

Lehmann began the fourth with a double down the right field line and after being replaced for a pinch runner, fellow senior, Barton ripped a single to center to drive home the game's only run.

Seniors Standridge and Larkin launched home runs in the second game as TU ran away with victory after scoring six runs in the second and plating one in each of the first, third and fourth innings. Larkin now has 40 in her TU career, just two shy of the program record.

Bella Browning, Larkin, Grace Mullins, and Lehmann each had a pair of hits in the blowout, as Jayci Kitchen crossed the plate a game-high three times. Browning also added a pair of singles in the opener as the sophomore bumped her batting average up to .414.

Lizzy Sinders (10-7) was terrific inside the circle firing four shutout innings and fanning a pair while allowing just three Maple Leaf batters to reach, one via a single and the other two on walks. Paige Parker finished the contest with a scoreless frame in her fifth appearance this season.

Taylor begins postseason play in the Crossroads League Tournament on Wednesday, April 29th as the four seed, playing the winner of Spring Arbor (29-21, 20-16 CL) and Goshen (17-33, 11-25 CL) in the first game of the day at 10:00 am. The Crossroads League Tournament is hosted by Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana.