On Friday afternoon, Josh Lane hit the game-winning two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Trojans escaped with a 8-7 victory in their first game of a three-game series with Ave Maria University.
Through the first five innings, the game was tied 0-0, as Taylor’s Matt Patton struck out six while giving up just two hits.
Taylor opened the scoring in the bottom of the sixth, as Whitman hit a two-run triple to score Whitman and Targgart. Wiese hit an RBI single later in the inning to give the Trojans a 3-0 lead.
Taylor took a 4-0 lead in the seventh, but the Gyrenes scored seven unanswered runs to take a 7-4 lead in the top of the eighth.
The Trojans responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the eighth, as a Lane single and stolen base, followed by four straight walks, cut the deficit to 7-6.
Austin Mettica and Lawson hit one-out singles in the bottom of the ninth to put runners at the corners, and Lane sealed the deal with a double down the left field to secure the Trojans’ victory.
Lane finished the game with two hits, two RBI, and a run scored, while Whitman went 2-for-3 with a triple and a pair of RBI. Cody Tait collected his first two hits of the season, while Targgart finished 3-for-4 on the day.
Ubelhor (1-0) earned the win on the mound for the Trojans, not allowing the Gyrenes to score in the ninth inning.
