Early Offense Propels Trojans to Split with Mount Vernon Nazarene

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – Taylor scored five runs in the first two innings of action and held on to secure a split against Mount Vernon Nazarene (17-17, 10-14 CL) on the road Wednesday night.   

After taking the opener 9-4 behind the early offense and Lizzy Sinders' steady arm inside the circle, Taylor dropped game two, 4-3, despite a late rally producing a pair of seventh inning runs.

Madison Raley earned a pair of starts and continued her hot hitting, notching three hits, two runs and a walk in five at-bats on Wednesday.

Four consecutive batters reached after an out to begin the day, including an RBI single off the bat of Bella Browning. Ava Everman delivered a two-out RBI single to double the early lead.

The first six batters got on base in the second and despite making an out at home in the frame Taylor crossed the plate three more times. Delaynee McCreary ripped a pinch-hit RBI single while Madisyn Standridge had an RBI double.

Standridge scored in the next inning on a wild pitch, and Everman ripped another RBI single in the fourth to push the lead out to 7-0.

The Cougars clawed across four runs in the middle innings, but a two-out two-RBI double from Addison Messer, who has notched three extra-base knocks in her past three games, put the game out of reach.

Sinders (8-5) collected the victory inside the circle with another complete game, striking out five and allowing three earned runs against a dynamic Cougar lineup, which averages over five runs a game.

MVNU scored three in the second inning of the nightcap, despite two quick outs to begin the frame. A walk and a pair of singles preceded an error and another base knock for the early advantage.

Taylor got a run back in the fourth after Kaylee Larkin, who drew three walks in the opener, doubled and pinch runner, Madyn Mohr, scored on a groundout by Messer.

The Cougars added an insurance run int the sixth, which proved vital as a seventh-inning rally fell one run shy of sending the game to extra innings.

Delaney Barton had a pinch-hit single to lead off the frame and a groundout to shortstop preceded three defensive miscues from the Cougar middle infielder, allowing a pair of runs to score and Taylor to have two runners on with one out and the middle of the lineup due up. A sharp line drive to left was caught before a line drive down the left field line was snagged by the third baseman to end the game, with Taylor falling 4-3.

Taylor (19-16, 14-9 CL) plays back at Gudakunst Field on Saturday, April 11th against cross-county rivals RV Indiana Wesleyan (26-8, 19-3 CL), who currently sits atop the CL Standings. The teams will finish a suspended game from earlier this season at noon before playing a doubleheader.