DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Elmhurst University baseball team wrapped up their Florida spring break trip Wednesday morning, downing the Bowdoin College Polar Bears by a score of 6-4.

The Bluejays wrap up their 2023 spring break trip with a 5-1 record, and move over .500 for the first time since their season-opening win on Feb. 25.

Elmhurst (8-7, 0-0 CCIW) went down three scores early in the contest, but a three-run fifth inning and insurance runs across the final frames of the game gave the Bluejays the win in the Sunshine state.

Strong pitching kept the Polar Bears at bay, as starter Troy Taller tossed 7.2 innings, giving up six hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out eight batters to earn his first win of the season. Relieving Taller with two outs in the eighth, Zach Keplar earned his second save of the 2023 campaign, giving up no hits and one run with a pair of strikeouts across 1.1 innings pitched. 

The Bluejays offense was powered by Calvin Keith and Taller, who both knocked in two runs. Taller and Freddie March both knocked four-baggers in the game, while Elmhurst as a team generated five extra-base hits in the contest. 

Bowdoin controlled the contest across the first four innings, plating a run in the first and another pair in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead into the middle innings. Elmhurst answered in their half of the fourth with Jesse James knocking a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to two. Taller then helped his case in the fifth with a solo home run, his third of the season, trimming the Polar Bears' lead to one. 

Elmhurst was able to take the lead in the fifth after a two-RBI double from Keith put the Bluejays up by a run, and a bases-loaded walk worked by Taller extended the lead to 5-3.

A leadoff solo home run for March gave the Bluejays another insurance run and extended the lead to three heading into the final two innings. In the eighth, Taller worked himself into a jam, and with the bases loaded Keplar entered the game. The junior reliever ended the Bowdoin threat with a punch out, stranding the tying runs on base.

Bowdoin was able to put together a rally in the ninth, with a run-scoring groundout cutting the Bluejay lead to two, but a swining strikeout ended the Polar Bears' threat and gave Elmhurst the two-run victory.

UP NEXT

Elmhurst returns to Illinois this weekend, facing off against Dominican University (Ill.) in a doubleheader at Wintrust Field in Schaumburg, Ill. at 12:00 and 3:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 25.

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