Cougars Fall to RV Taylor Trojans Despite Strong Bullpen Work

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On Monday afternoon, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (19-15; 8-10 Crossroads) played host to the RV Taylor University Trojans (26-10; 16-4 Crossroads) to wrap up their four-game series at Cougar Field, but still struggled as they lost both games 13-7 and 8-3.

Senior pitcher Kaden Sullivan took the mound to start the opener for the Cougars and did allow a leadoff double that came around to score but held them there in the first.

In the top of the second, back-to-back doubles doubled the lead for the Trojans, and then matters only worsened for the Cougars in the third.

It started with a leadoff single, and then with one out, the Trojans loaded the bases and then scored a couple more runs to extend their lead to 4-0, and then with two outs, a costly fielding error by the Cougars opened the floodgates. Five hits and two errors gave Taylor seven runs in the frame as Saint Francis now found themselves down by nine.

Sullivan was finished in the third inning despite only two of the seven runs being earned.

Left fielder Alec Brunson got the Cougars on the board in the bottom of the third with a solo home run, and the Cougars proceeded to threaten through the next several innings.

Freshman Callan Wood came in to relieve in the fifth, and did allow a leadoff home run, but proceeded to strike out the side. Meanwhile, a few more solo shots from the Cougars bats put them back in business with their offense.

The Trojans added a couple insurance runs in the top of the ninth, and the Cougars staged a two-out rally themselves in the bottom of the ninth, adding three more runs. But it was too little too late as they dropped the opener by six.

In the finale, freshman Cameron Niedens took the mound looking to reverse the recent fortunes of the Cougars but ran into immediate trouble in the first. With one out, the Trojans loaded the bases and scored the first two runs on a couple bases-loaded walks to jump ahead 2-0.

Before the inning was over, a couple more hits by Taylor plated five runs in the opening frame. But come the bottom of the second, the Cougars got a couple runs back as third baseman Kaden Sullivan drove home the first two for Saint Francis to pull within three.

The bullpen came in and held the Trojans down through the next four innings allowing the Cougars to get back in the game. But the offense couldn't cash in on several threats and come the top of the sixth Taylor went back to work with the bats.

Three runs in the top of the sixth put the Cougars behind now by six runs, trailing 8-2 through six innings, and they were never able to catch back up, falling by five.

The Cougars resume play on Friday afternoon when they travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio for a four-game road series against the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars (20-10; 15-4 Crossroads) beginning at 1:00 pm.