MARION, Ind. — Ryan Hartig posted two hits and Kyle Kotecki worked 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen as the Goshen College baseball team finished its home schedule in unfamiliar environs Monday, losing 8-1 to Indiana Wesleyan University on IWU's campus.

The game, which was originally scheduled for Sarge Yoder Field on the Goshen campus, was moved to the Wildcats' facility to allow both schools to schedule around final exams later in the week. IWU hosted the game at 11 a.m. before playing its own home game against Grace at 3 p.m., but Goshen remained the home team on the scoreboard.

Indiana Wesleyan (31-16, 17-6 Crossroads League) took its first step of the day toward cementing its conference lead with a four-run second inning that culminated in a three-run Caleb Eder home run.

The Maple Leafs (19-23, 10-14) scored their run with a two-out rally in the bottom of the same inning, getting a walk from Cody McCoy and a Kody McGuire single before Nolan Holcomb singled to the Bermuda triangle in shallow right.

IWU responded with a two-out rally of its own in the third, this one ending in a Steven Busby two-run jack, before both pitchers faced the minimum number of batters required to get through the fifth. The Wildcats rounded out their scoring in the sixth with two more runs.

Goshen's best chance to cut into the deficit came in the eighth, when Holcomb reached base on an error and Hunter doubled to left to put two men in scoring position while rolling the lineup over. Wildcat reliever Tim Olvaney got two outs to end the inning and turned the trick again after a pair of one-out hits in the ninth.

Hartig's two hits brought his season total to 50, closing within six of Ben Longacre's team lead. Colby Malson added a hit for GC while Braedon Evans threw the first 5 1/3 innings on the mound, striking out six to reach 50 for the season.

Evans' counterpart, Jacob Gividen, worked seven innings for IWU, which got three hits from Busby and two each from Eder and Nick Coy. That trio accounted for eight of the Wildcats' nine hits and all eight RBI.

With the game's completion, Goshen became the first Crossroads League school to complete its first eight series of the season, giving the Maple Leafs three days off while each of the loop's other nine teams make up at least one game later in the week.

The Maple Leafs, whose magic number to clinch a Crossroads League tournament berth sits at 4 entering Grace makeup games Tuesday and Wednesday, close out their regular season at Huntington this weekend. Goshen visits Forest Glen Park for a single game at 4:30 p.m. Friday and a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Saturday.