APR. 16 — Taylor Fires Second Career No-Hitter Against SAU
Junior comes one hit batter away from perfect game in Leafs' 3-0 win

Goshen, IN — Apparently, hitting the game-winning, two-RBI double with two outs retired in the top of the seventh inning at Mid-Central Conference North Division leader Spring Arbor University on Thursday wasn’t enough for junior Ben Taylor.

Saturday against those same Cougars at the Goshen College Baseball Complex, he wanted to be perfect.

He nearly was.

Taking the hill as the Leafs’ starting pitcher in the third of the four-game series with Spring Arbor, Taylor threw six innings of perfect baseball, eventually tossing his second collegiate no-hitter en route to a 3-0 Goshen win. Taylor’s lone blemish on the afternoon came against the Cougars’ lead-off batter in the top of the seventh inning, when his full count pitch grazed the batter, giving the Cougars their lone base runner of the game.

“Ben had exceptional stuff today and when he has that his confidence level is very high,” said Jayson Best, Goshen head coach. “He pitched with great purpose today and expected to get every hitter out. I thought in the seventh he had a tough call go against him to go 3-1, and after going 3-2 he tried to crank a slider a little too hard and hit the batter. He was able to stay focused, though, and finish the no-hitter.”

The nearly flawless performance pushed Taylor’s pitching record to 5-1 on the season, while adding a second no-hit performance to his 2004 feat against Bluffton University in the Eastern Mennonite University Sarasota Spring Classic on Mar. 5 of last season. That game was eerily similar to Taylor’s effort on Saturday, with Goshen defeating the Beavers by a 3-0 score and Taylor having a perfect game going through six full innings before allowing a runner to reach base.

As if all this weren’t enough, it was Taylor who also cranked a two-run homer in the sixth inning to give his team its final 3-0 lead against Spring Arbor on Saturday, making the no-hitter a nice touch, but not a complete necessity.

“Ben also helped us immensely with his bat in this series, driving in the eventual winning run in the first game at Spring Arbor and then helping himself get some breathing room with his homer today,” Best said. “In all, a pretty quality stretch.”

As dominant as Taylor’s performance was in Saturday’s first game against Spring Arbor, Goshen (15-10, 11-7) could not keep things going in the second game, dropping a 7-4 decision to the Cougars. Senior Josh Snyder (1-2) took the loss on the mound, pitching five full innings before being replaced by junior Dan Fensler.

“Josh Snyder has been pitching on sheer guts all year,” Best said. “He has had tendonitis in his biceps since pre-season training and just keeps asking for the ball in big games. Today he just wasn’t able to spot the ball the way he’s used to and their hitters took advantage.”

It appeared early in Saturday’s Game Two that Goshen might take three of four from Spring Arbor, as the Leafs jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind freshman catcher Mike Staehle’s home run. Unfortunately for the Leafs, the Cougars were able to counter with three runs in the third inning, and scored at least a run in the ensuing three stanzas. A pair of doubles from sophomore Brian Shelton and senior Erik Hisner’s double and single weren’t enough, as Spring Arbor held off a late Goshen charge to hold on to the win.

“Again, we battled to the end as all three of our outs in the seventh were hard hit, line drives right to the center fielder,” Best said. “With four conference games left we still have an outside shot at the division title and are now assured of a berth in the conference tournament at worst. Hopefully our best ball is ahead of us and we can make a run in the post-season tournament.”

Goshen will take this week to complete final examinations, and then will return to play on Monday, when the team will travel to MCC foe Marian College for a double-header in Indianapolis. The Leafs were originally scheduled to face the Knights on Saturday, but this weekend's cold and wet forecast has postponed that double-dip. For a complete look at the current MCC standings and playoff picture, click here.