RV Trojans Take Two from No. 12 Indiana Tech on Diamond
UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor used five different pitchers to hold No. 12 Indiana Tech to two runs on eight hits over 16 innings in Friday’s doubleheader, as the Trojans opened their 2021 home slate with a 2-1 and 8-1 sweep of the Warriors.
Behind strong starts from Joe Moran (3-2) and Noah Huseman (1-0) and dominant relief showings from Mitch Ubelhor and Garrett Simmons, TU piled up 23 strikeouts over the two games and allowed just two extra-base hits.
Moran set the tone in the opener, firing 6.1 scoreless innings and not allowing a hit until a sun-aided fly ball dropped with none on and two outs in the top of the fourth. The senior escaped damage in that frame and collected four more outs before exiting with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh.
Ubelhor entered the game with the go-ahead run on first base but recorded a strikeout and a harmless infield grounder to keep the Warriors off the board and preserve the 2-0 Taylor lead.
After Indiana Tech put its first three hitters of the eighth on safely to cut the margin to 2-1, Ubelhor again worked quickly out of trouble, retiring the next six hitters in order with four punch outs to slam the door on his second save of the season.
Taylor’s only runs came in the third when Kade Vander Molen doubled Nick Rusche to third and TJ Bass roped an RBI single to left in a nine-pitch at bat. Vander Molen then scored TU’s second run on a Ben Kalbaugh RBI grounder.
Moran took the win on the bump, scattering three hits and one walk over his 6.1 innings, while fanning seven. Ubelhor closed the 2-1 affair with five strikeouts in the final 2.2 frames.
Vander Molen provided all the offense the Trojans would need in the nightcap, following his two-hit game in the opener with a towering three-run blast in the third to give TU a 3-1 lead.
Matt Dutkowski provided some insurance in the fifth with a two-run double off the base of the left-centerfield fence and the Taylor bats went on to pile up eight runs on nine hits
Rusche ignited the attack from his leadoff slot, collecting three hits and scoring three runs, while Vander Molen scored twice and ended with three runs driven in and the lone homer of the afternoon for either club. Dutkowski added two hits and two RBI.
Huseman protected the lead to record his first win of the season, fanning seven and allowing only one run on two hits in 4.1 innings. Simmons and Jack Ross combined for the final eight outs, while yielding just one hit and one walk.
RV Taylor (9-6) and No. 12 Indiana Tech (0-5) will square off again on Saturday, with another doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm in Upland.
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