GOSHEN, Ind. – Taking the home field advantage for the last time this season, the Maple Leafs faced Purdue University North Central in a non-conference doubleheader in preparation for the MCC conference tournament on Friday. In an effort to test their season accomplishments, the Leafs managed to split with the Panthers with a 6-4 win and a 12-4 loss.

Goshen was first to jump out in the bottom of the second inning. Despite a fractured hand, junior Jessica Carney cleared the left-field fence breaking into the game with the first home run of the day.

“[Carney] refused to quit,” said the Leafs head coach Lee Mast. “She told me she would take care of it after softball.”

Purdue answered back in the following frame with a pair of singles to right field landing runners on first and third base. The third hit of the inning was drilled deep into center field bringing in a run for the Panthers. Another hit quickly followed as Purdue- North Central took a 2-1 lead. Goshen managed to put a quick end to Purdue’s efforts as Leah Lehman caught a fly to left field stopping the Panthers in their tracks.

Lehman further displayed her versatile skills as she smashed the second home run of the day over the center-field fence to bring in two runs for the Maple Leafs taking a 3-2 lead on Purdue.

Determined to put up a fight, the Panthers tied up the game 3-3 scoring on a sacrificed fly in the top of the fourth. The Leafs immediately stopped Purdue from breaking the deadlock as sophomore Ashley Walker did the splits at first base for the third out dashing the Panthers efforts.

Goshen managed to break the tie to pull ahead in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on second and third, Goshen scored on a wild pitch. Sneaking in a few more insurance runs, the Leafs took the win over Purdue 6-4.

Despite their efforts, Goshen failed to use this momentum in game two. Purdue took immediate control scoring two runs in the first two innings. However, Goshen stayed on the Panther’s heals with a solo home run in the third.

This was not enough to push Goshen through to the end as Purdue extended their lead 12-2 by the top of the fifth. In an effort to chip away at the deficit, senior Amy Clem cleared left field for another home run to bring in two runs. However, the Maple Leafs fell just short of avoiding the eight-run mercy score as the game ended in a 12-4 loss moving Goshen to a record of 11-28 overall.

“We’re still on the right track,” said Mast. “We had a good effort overall. I think [the conference] will find out we’re not going to be a push over in the tournament.”

Goshen will wrap up their season this Tuesday and Wednesday entering the MCC tournament against Bethel College on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

- By Brandon Long
GC Sports Information

This entry was posted on Friday, April 24th, 2009 and is filed under News, Softball.