MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Bren Taylor is simply locked in at the plate right now. After four hits on Tuesday, the Millersville junior went 4-for-4 Friday against Shippensburg, hitting two home runs including a go-ahead, two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh that lifted the Marauders to a 3-2 win over the Raiders.
Struggling to hit with runners in scoring position and having just given up the lead on a defensive miscue in the top of the seventh, Millersville desperately needed a spark. Unwittingly, Shippensburg pitcher Jackson LoBianco (3-2) provided it. Facing Millersville leadoff hitter
Jimmy Losh to start the bottom of the inning, LoBianco's first offering of was called a quick pitch as neither Losh nor the home plate umpire were set. LoBianoco hit Losh with his next pitch, setting off a heated exchange of words between the clubs. Taylor, already with a home run, double and single in the game, calmly stepped to the plate and took ball one outside. He worked a 2-1 count, and then deposited a rocket of a line drive into the Millersville bullpen in right-center.
"Losh and Bren are super competitive," said Millersville head coach
Jon Shehan. "That fires up a veteran when you get quick pitched like that, and then to get hit by a pitch, it definitely gets those guys going. I don't know what was said between the players, but it changes the intensity of the game."
Taylor's home run was the 221st hit of his career. Fittingly, it moved him past Ryan Brink and into a tie with Cole Friese--Millersville's two career home run leaders--for sixth in Millersville history. Taylor has gone 12-for-17 over the last four games and now has 10 games with three or more hits this season. He drove in all three of Millersville's runs on Friday.
"I don't want to give him too much love because his career is not over, but it's special to watch him play," said Shehan. "He's one step ahead of guys. I told a scout the other day that he is the Joey Votto of the PSAC. He adjusts. He'll hit for power when he wants and needs to drive a ball, and then he turns around and is the toughest two-strike out in the league."
Taylor hit the first of his two homers in the third inning, giving Millersville a 1-0 lead. Millersville starter
Carson Kulina battled into the sixth and held on to that lead through 5 2/3 before Shippensburg strung together three-straight singles to tie the game. Shippensburg put at least one runner on base in each of the first eight innings, but Kulina limited the damage and exited after six with a no decision. The Raiders grabbed the lead in the seventh, getting a seeing-eye single from Gio Calamia and a bunt single from Mike Heckman to put two on with no outs. Then, with one out, Austin Baal hit a potential double-play grounder to Losh. Losh flipped to second for the force, but Calamia aggressively turned the corner at third base and charged for home, sliding in ahead of an errant through. That gave Shippensburg its momentary lead, but it lasted only two batters into Millersville's half of the seventh.
Millersville reliever
Nate Young pitched the final three innings for his second win of the season. It was the first time since February that Young pitched three innings. Shehan stayed with the left-hander in the ninth to work against the lefty-heavy Raider lineup, and Young rewarded him with a 1-2-3 frame including a game-ending strikeout of Shippensburg's No. 3 hitter.
"We left Carson in in the sixth, and I kicked myself for that," said Shehan. "I started managing for tomorrow, not wanting to burn too many arms today. But Nate is a veteran. He gets righties and lefties out. He's been in those situations before."
Millersville has now won 14 of the last 16 over Shippensburg, but nine of those games have been decided by one run.
UP NEXT
• Millersville travels to Shippensburg for a doubleheader Saturday at Fairchild Field.
