By Seth Wesman
Sports Information Intern

WINONA LAKE, Ind. — The Goshen College baseball team used a Braedon Evans complete game to take the first game of their doubleheader with Grace College 4-0 on Saturday, but was outlasted in an 11-inning game two as the Leafs and Lancers split their penultimate series of the Crossroads League season.

Goshen (22-25-1, 10-14) got the afternoon started quickly with a run in the top of the first inning when Brad Stoltzfus scored on Vincent Caschera's RBI single. After that the offenses would remain silent until Stoltzfus scored again in the fifth as Clinton Stroble II doubled.

The Maple Leafs added single insurance runs in both the sixth and seventh inning as Evans held Grace (15-16-1, 7-17) scoreless. Evans finished the complete-game shutout with eight hits and seven strikeouts.

Caschera, Stroble and Quinlan Armstrong each drove in a run and Stoltzfus led the team with a pair of runs scored. Caschera and Ryan Hartig each scored runs.

Joe Dougherty took the loss for Grace with three runs and five strikeouts in five innings of work. Xavier Harris led the offense with a 3 for 3 performance at the plate.

Game two saw the Leafs again strike in the opening inning, this time with Stoltzfus scoring on Preston Carr's double and Carr scoring on a wild throw. But it didn't take the Lancers' bats long to wake up, either, as Grace tied the score in the bottom of the inning and grabbed the lead with a '4' spot in the second.

Carr again drove in Stoltzfus in the third inning before Spenser Triplett, Austin Rook and Carr all scored in the fifth to tie the game at 6-6. Again, the bats went silent, this time for five more innings.

The deadlock would last all the way to the 11th, when Shay Hepler led off the inning with the lone triple of the day for Grace. A pair of strikeouts later, it looked like Lancers might strand the winning run on third, but Austin Baker singled to center and gave Grace a 7-6 victory.

Colby Malson, Blake Collins, Colton Daniel, Chandler Ingle, Travis Grimm and Triplett all pitched in the contest for Goshen. Triplett was saddled with the loss despite recording seven outs from the first seven batters he faced. Grace's Scottie Clark got the win with four shutout innings of relief work.

Carr drove in a team-high three runs for Goshen with Armstrong collecting the Leafs' other RBI. Stoltzfus and Carr both scored twice with Triplett and Rook each crossing home once in the loss.

Harris again led the Grace attack, driving in three runs with Jason Stevens adding two of his own. Gavin Bussard scored twice to lead the Lancers.

The win in the opener was Goshen's 22nd victory of the season, marking the fifth time in program history the team has won 22 games, but the loss in the nightcap prevented coach Alex Childers' team from clinching a Crossroads League tournament berth and eliminating Grace on its home field.

Goshen will return to J. Harold "Sarge" Yoder Field for its final conference series of the season next weekend, although it will come against the toughest opponent the league can offer in Huntington University, which has clinched the top seed in the CL tournament. The Maple Leafs can seal a spot in the eight-team playoff with a win or a Grace loss, and could still host a first-round game if they sweep a Forester team that could enter the weekend with its fate predetermined. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Friday.