MARION, Ind. – A four-run seventh-inning rally led the Trojans to a 4-1 upset of cross-county rival No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday night after dropping the opener 5-3.
Trailing by one and coming up for their final at-bat of the game, Grace Mullins pinch hit and drew a six-pitch walk to spark belief in the dugout. Madisyn Standridge came to the plate and ripped a single up the middle to put runners on the corners and force a pitching change. The Wildcats brought in their ace and game-one starter, but a pair of defensive miscues allowed TU to knot the game at one with the bases loaded and nobody out. Emri Agre battled and eventually drove a fly ball to right to score the decisive run for the Trojans. Aleyah Rastetter drove in a run on a single to center before another insurance run scored on Indiana Wesleyan's third error of the inning.
Leading 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, a leadoff double gave the Wildcats life briefly, before Delaynee McCreary threw a laser beam to third to nail the runner at third on a single to the next batter which gave TU the momentum back as Mackenzie Noah (9-5) got the final two outs without any fanfare to secure the win.
Noah threw a terrific ballgame inside the circle, notching another complete game allowing a single run while scattering eight hits throughout and not walking a batter.
The Trojans could not produce a run until the seventh despite getting a baserunner in five of the other six innings. All of which proved inconsequential after the magical seventh-inning comeback.
In the opener, the Wildcats (30-8, 21-5 CL) scored three early runs in the bottom of the first and held the lead throughout the contest.
Taylor (22-16, 14-10 CL) finally broke through in the sixth with Rastetter lacing a double and scoring on a single by Livie Lehmann. Kaylee Larkin came close to tying the game, but a deep fly ball died on the warning track, denying the slugger of a game-tying bomb.
Indiana Wesleyan scored a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, which proved vital as Taylor attempted a comeback in the seventh.
Standridge ripped a double to right center field to score McCreary from first and the throw to the plate got away from the catcher and into the IWU dugout, allowing Standridge to cross the plate as well. Taylor got runners on the corners with nobody out but was unable to find the next key hit to fall 5-3.
Taylor is back at the friendly confines of Gudakunst field on Tuesday, April 16 to face Grace (12-20, 8-16 CL) in Crossroads League action, with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 pm.
