Kokomo Standard

Trojans Fall to Benedictine Mesa in Season-Opener 3-2

While a thick layer of snow covered Winterholter Field in Upland, the Taylor baseball team opened its 2023 campaign in warmer pastures, out west in Arizona where the Trojans took on Benedictine Mesa at the Coach Calderone Invitational.

Taylor fell by a final score of 3-2, as an unfortunate defensive miscue sullied the Trojans' hope for their season opener.

Four different Trojans recorded a hit on Thursday evening, though none posted multi-hit performances as Mesa outhit Taylor eight-to-four.

Alec Holcomb made his first start on the bump since 2020, working a no-decision as he scattered six hits and two runs throughout four innings of work. Mesa welcomed TU's opening-day starter with a taste of adversity, filling the bases with just one out in the first inning of play. Holcomb limited the damage, however, allowing just one run to cross the plate.

Mesa then increased its lead to two runs in the third, thanks in large part to a leadoff triple that soon set up a sacrifice-fly.

Taylor responded with two runs of its own in the fifth, however, to even the score at two apiece.

Kade Kolpien sparked the rally with a leadoff single, which was followed by a passed ball and a walk drawn by freshman, Ben Kennedy. Back-to-back strikeouts then threatened to squash the momentum, but only until NAIA All-American, TJ Bass, stepped into the batter's box. Bass promptly brought both Trojans home to score, as he struck a two-run double to deep left field.

The score held at two runs apiece until the bottom of the eighth inning, when an unfortunate Trojan error set the table for Benedictine Mesa to plate the winning run.

After Holcomb finished his fourth inning of work, fellow junior, Matt Dutkowski (0-1), took over on the mound for Taylor.

Dutkowski looked quite sharp for an early-season outing, navigating four frames while allowing just two hits and striking out three Mesa batters. Though, the Trojan reliever received the tough-luck loss as his solo, unearned, run secured the win for Benedictine Mesa in the eighth inning.

Taylor (0-1) will be back in action tomorrow afternoon, when the Trojans take on Kansas Wesleyan (0-1) at 12:00 pm ET

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