UPLAND, Ind. — Two half-innings separated the Goshen College softball team from an entirely different tune Friday afternoon in a Crossroads League doubleheader at Taylor University. Sandra Rodriguez led the Maple Leafs with three hits on the afternoon and both teams totaled 10 base knocks, but the Trojans claimed the first game 3-0 and the second 7-3.

Goshen (9-16, 1-5) got the first hit of the doubleheader when Rodriguez singled to right-center two batters into the game. The Maple Leafs also got the first runner as far as third (Leah Herrman in the second inning) before recording three singles in the third frame. The Trojans (9-5, 3-3), who received votes this week in the NAIA poll, threw out a runner at the plate to keep the game scoreless at its midpoint.

Taylor starter Darby Shaw settled in for the last four innings, retiring 12 straight Goshen batters at one point, and let her offense do its work. Jacqueline Ryals opened the scoring with her first career home run four pitches into the fifth inning, and after a strikeout, a fielding error and two singles opened the door for two unearned runs.

Alexis Carpenter took the loss for GC despite giving up one earned run in the complete game: she had the Trojans on an 0-for-8 streak before Ryals' blast and retired five straight batters to finish the game. The senior allowed five hits, of which one went for extra bases, and struck out three.

Shaw allowed six baserunners in seven frames for TU, striking out five in 101 pitches. Ryals and Rodriguez, both 2 for 3, were the only players with multiple hits.

The Maple Leafs struck early with two runs in the first inning of the nightcap, getting a walk to Rodriguez before Rianna Koteles' run-scoring double and Herrman's RBI single that hit both the pitcher and center fielder.

After starting the game 0 for 6, Taylor scored seven times in the third inning including homers by Lauren Kanai and Cassie Kuizin. The team posted five hits with Kanai recording six total bases and driving in four runs.

Summoned from the bullpen, Carpenter finished the third and retired 10 straight batters to close Taylor's offensive half of the game. Goshen mustered hits in three of the last four innings, getting one run back on a two-out Rodriguez double to score Candace Sutter in the fifth.

Kanai claimed the win with a complete-game six-hitter, striking out one with one walk on 101 pitches. Goshen's two hurlers combined for eight baserunners on 103 pitches.

Designated player Emily Namisnak added two hits to the Goshen offense in her first start of the season while Rodriguez drew both a hit and a walk. Kanai was the lone Trojan with two hits, posting more than half of the team's total bases.

Goshen continues its conference season with a visit to Mount Vernon Nazarene, albeit two days later than originally planned: the twinbill has been moved from Saturday to Monday on account of the weather forecast and will now start at 3 p.m. The schedule adjustment leaves Goshen slated for eight games next week, with home doubleheaders against Bethel (Tuesday) and Taylor (Saturday) sandwiching a Friday visit to Indiana Wesleyan.