No. 1 Taylor Capitalizes on Goshen Miscues in 12-2 Win

GOSHEN, Ind. – No. 1 Taylor defeated Goshen 12-2 on Friday at Sarge Yoder Field, extending its winning streak to 18 games and scoring 11 or more runs for a 10th consecutive contest.

The Trojans (36-3, 24-2 CL) did their damage without an extra-base hit, instead manufacturing runs through patience at the plate and timely hitting. Fletcher Roemmich led the offense (2 for 5, 3 RBIs), recording his fourth game this season with at least three RBIs. Ben Kennedy drove in two (1 for 4, 2 RBIs), and Quinn Kunkel (2 for 2, RBI) and Kaden Wu (2 RBIs) also contributed to the plate production.

Brody Fine was solid on the mound for the Trojans, yet again. The right-hander improved to 8-0, the most wins in the Crossroads League, tossing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just three hits allowed. Jake Boyer earned his third save of the season and 11th of his career, working the final three innings and allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts.

TU broke through in the second after the first two batters were retired. Kennedy reached on an error, Jace Schrock walked and Kunkel singled to load the bases. Wu drew an RBI walk to open the scoring before Roemmich delivered a clutch single to left to plate two more for a 3-0 lead.

Brayden Manning scored on another Goshen error in the third to push it to 4-0, and Kunkel's RBI single in the fifth made it 5-0. A throwing error by the first baseman on Wu's groundout allowed two more to score in the frame, and TU took a 7-0 lead into the sixth.

The Trojans put the game away with a five-run sixth on four hits. Sutter singled and Manning walked before Jordan Malott singled to load the bases. Brennan Frickel drew an RBI walk, Manning scored on a wild pitch, and Kennedy singled to center to drive in two more. Roemmich once again capped the frame with an RBI single through the left side to make it 12-0.

Goshen scratched across two in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Steven Lopez and an RBI double by Barron Welsh, but Boyer retired the side in order in the seventh to close it out.

The Trojans outhit the Maple Leafs 9-8 in the contest, with seven of those base knocks posted across the fifth and sixth frames.

Roemmich extended his streak of reaching base in every game this season. Kennedy has now reached safely in 22 consecutive games, and Sutter's on-base streak reached 12 straight.

TU and Goshen continue the series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.