No. 18 Trojans Clinch Crossroads League Regular Season Title

UPLAND, Ind. – The 18th-ranked Taylor baseball team (35-13, 28-6 CL) became the Crossroads League Regular Season Champions for the second consecutive season with Thursday's doubleheader sweep over Goshen, combined with RV Indiana Wesleyan's game one, 3-0 loss versus Spring Arbor.

TU earned the title behind dominant pitching and timely offense, winning 10-0 and 10-2 to claim its third straight trip to the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round.

The Trojans started the series opener in a big way, as leadoff man Luke Picchiotti singled, Mason David doubled and Brayden Manning homered to bring in three runs that gave starting pitcher Gabel Pentecost a three-run cushion.

After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first inning, Pentecost (7-1) was his usual stellar self throughout the remainder of his outing. The sophomore tossed five shutout innings, allowed three hits and struck out six Maple Leafs as he lowered his ERA to 2.40 on the season – likely ending his regular season having gone all 13 starts without allowing more than three runs in any single outing.

Taylor added one run in the sixth inning before it decided to end the game early with an explosive six-run eighth frame. David and Manning walked to get things rolling in the would-be final inning, before seven straight Trojans reached base with two outs to secure the quasi-walk-off victory.

Rylee Singleton, Ben Kennedy, Drew Loy and Picchiotti each had run-scoring singles in that eighth inning, and Joe Lokos walked to bring home the final run in the 10-0 win.

Jake Boyer completed the combined eight-inning shutout for Taylor, as he picked up his third save of the season in a crisp three-inning, five-strikeout performance.

While TU had 15 hits and nine walks in game one, the lineup was much more efficient in plating its 10 runs throughout game two, evidenced by needing just six hits and eight walks to accomplish the feat.

The Trojans chased GC's game two starter early by showcasing their patience at the plate as they struck for four first-inning runs.

Taylor used three more walks and two hit-by-pitches in the third frame to take a commanding 7-1 lead.

Still ahead by six in the bottom of the fourth, senior Kade Kolpien stepped to the plate with two men on and hammered a three-run homer down the right field line. The homer, which was the first of Kolpien's career, sent the TU faithful into a frenzy as the regular season title was well within grasp.

Starting pitcher Nick Crabtree's (3-1) day was done after the fourth inning with TU leading 10-1. The sophomore southpaw showcased his electric stuff throughout the game by racking up eight strikeouts against just three hits and one walk.

Wes Hunt came on in relief and collected two more strikeouts as he picked up the Trojans' second save of the day of the three-inning variety. Hunt recorded the final out that completed his third career save and secured the CL Regular Season Championship on a grounder to second baseman Brennan Frickel.

No. 18 Taylor closes the CL regular season on Saturday versus the Maple Leafs (12-34, 7-27 CL). The doubleheader at Winterholter Field begins at 1 p.m.