No. 1 Taylor Bounces Back, Defeats No. 10 Doane in Elimination Game

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LEWISTON, Idaho – It was only a matter of time before the NAIA's leading run producer came through. And there was no better time than Saturday's elimination game, when Jordan Malott delivered the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth to lift the top overall seed and No. 1-ranked Taylor past the fourth seed and No. 10-ranked Doane 10-8 at the Avista NAIA World Series.

It was the first World Series elimination game victory for the TU baseball program, with the Trojans advancing to another elimination game Monday at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET) against third-seeded and No. 4-ranked Lewis Clark State, the host of the national championship event. The Warriors defeated No. 2 seed Georgia Gwinnett in Saturday night's elimination game. Prior to Monday's matchup, the Trojans will return to Harris Field on Sunday to host a graduation ceremony for its 10 seniors that missed Saturday's graduation in Upland.

In the victory, TU (53-6) snapped back to form offensively following Friday's setback and jumped out to a 7-1 lead after three innings. The Trojans also rode a quality outing from starter Lane Lewis, who logged a career-high six innings – the longest start by a Trojan both this season and in a World Series game – and tied his career-best strikeout total with six punchouts. Malott, Ben Kennedy and Brayden Manning registered two hits apiece, combining for six of the 10 total base knocks for the Trojans.

Doane (47-11) grabbed the game's first lead on a sacrifice fly, but the Trojans quickly responded and tied the game in the bottom of the first on back-to-back two-out hits. Manning doubled to center field, extending his active hit streak to 18 games while reaching safely in 37 straight outings, before Malott brought him in on a single to left with the first of his two run-producing hits, which brought the senior first baseman into a first-place tie for the TU single-season RBI record (94 - TJ Bass).

TU would end up tacking runs on during each of the first four innings, including a five-spot in the second frame after a momentum boost from catcher Kaden Wu, who threw out a runner at second base to end the top half of the inning. TU's first three batters then reached in the bottom of the second inning, with back-to-back singles by Sam Gladd and Fletcher Roemmich before Nate Simpson was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Two of the biggest hits of the day followed, with pinch-hitter Quinn Kunkel producing for the second day in a row with a clutch two-run single.

That was followed by a Kennedy three-run homer to right center to put the Trojans ahead 6-1. Kennedy, who recorded his career-best 12th home run, moved up to the leadoff spot in the lineup and continued his postseason tear with his fourth blast in six games.

After Doane got a run back on a solo homer, Kennedy stayed hot at the plate and produced his fourth run of the day on a double in this next at-bat to put the Trojans ahead 8-2 in the fourth inning. The senior shortstop has tallied 15 RBIs over the previous six games, with three separate four-RBI outings.

Lewis struck out a pair in the fifth and worked through the sixth after a two-out run-producing hit gave the Tigers their third run with TU leading 8-3.

Over the middle innings, the Trojan bats went quiet as nine consecutive TU hitters were retired until Kennedy was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth.

That allowed Doane to rally back and even the score at 8-8, as the Tigers put up five runs in the top half of the eighth, including a game-tying three-run homer off the bat of Jordan Bond.

However, the Trojans countered with two runs to claim the final 10-8 advantage after Kennedy reached base and scored on Malott's double for the go-ahead run. Manning, who also reached after getting plunked, scored the final run on a wild pitch.

JT Tabor and Jake Boyer combined to cover the final three innings on the mound, with Boyer earning the relief win for his eighth victory of the season after slamming the door in the ninth. The trio of Trojan hurlers struck out nine combined batters and did not issue a walk or hit-by-pitch.

Doane used five pitchers as reliever Ethen Roberts was tagged with the loss after tossing a team-high 4.1 innings with four strikeouts.