Each week, the Trojan Sports Update will publish online on Friday before our print edition publishes on Monday. Each team that isn’t covered in our print edition the following Monday will be featured. Make sure to check it out on Fridays at theechonews.com.
Lacrosse
Taylor Lacrosse matched up against No. 9 Saint Ambrose University and Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the past week, falling 9-16 to Saint Ambrose, but rebounding with a 7-5 win over Mount Vernon.
The team is receiving votes in the NAIA Top 10 poll.
Freshman Aidan Craig took home The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week award for the week of Mar. 1 through Mar. 8.
Through six games, Craig leads the team in points and has 30 assists. Sophomore Emmit Wintek is first in goals, with 22.
The Trojans are currently 4-2 on the season. After a match with Concordia Illinois tomorrow, they will begin conference play with a road bout against Madonna University on Friday, Mar. 19.
Softball
Currently on a four-game win streak, Taylor Softball handily swept Trinity International University this week in a doubleheader. After winning the first contest 15-6 in six innings, they followed that performance with a 4-0 win in the second game.
The doubleheader was the home opener for Taylor.
In the first game, senior Lauren Kanai, junior Maddi Evans and junior Ashton Whitman all hit three-run home runs. Evans picked up the win on the mound.
Kanai threw a gem in the second game, going six innings and only giving up two hits and one walk.
Taylor is 10-4 on the season and receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 poll, they have another doubleheader tomorrow against St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. First pitch for the opening game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Baseball
TU Baseball finished off its second four-game sweep of the season last weekend against Goshen College. Taylor kept their Crossroads League rivals at bay all series, allowing only seven runs to cross the plate in the four games.
Sophomore Conner Crawford hit .438 during the series, with five extra-base hits. The performance garnered the outfielder Player of the Week honors.
In the final game of the series, a 6-1 victory, three Trojan arms pitched a combined two-hitter. Junior Luke Carlson, senior Garrett Simmons and freshman Matt Dutkowski were responsible for the pitching performance.
In the first game, a 12-1 victory, senior Joe Moran pitched six frames of one-run ball and struck out nine.
Taylor is receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 poll will continue league play with a four-game series on the road against Bethel University this weekend. First pitch is today at 12 p.m.
Football
Going on the road to battle a top-10 opponent in the University of Saint Francis, Taylor Football dropped a close game 10-24. An early 3-0 lead off of a field goal from freshman Zane Shilts set the tone for the rest of the game, as the Trojans battled throughout until Saint Francis ultimately pulled away late.
Taylor went into half in a 3-3 tie, but after a blocked punt, Saint Francis was able to go ahead 10-3, before ultimately extending the lead to 17-3 by the end of the third quarter.
The Trojan offense came alive, however, early in the fourth as senior Zach Saltzgaber hit a 41-yard pass before taking home a one-yard touchdown run.
Saint Francis’ offense came back down the field after the TU touchdown and scored one of their own, distancing themselves with a 24-10 lead that they would hold for the rest of the contest.
Taylor is now 0-2 on the season after two road losses to top-10 opponents. They will hope to pick up their first win of the campaign Saturday when they face Madonna University at Turner Stadium for their home opener.
