LANCASTER, Calif. — A late rally came up empty and a pitcher's duel favored the home team Sunday when Goshen College came out on the wrong end of two one-run softball decisions, losing 6-5 and 1-0 to the University of Antelope Valley.

Sandra Rodriguez poked a two-run single to right in the fourth inning of game one, driving in Brianna Sherman and Ri Koteles and setting the stage for another run-scoring hit from Jazmine Macias to tie the game. Antelope Valley (4-3) had scored once in the first and twice in the second behind three extra-bae hits and two infield singles.

The Pioneers scratched out an unearned run in the fourth inning to retake the lead before getting a Kathy Perscheid home run in the fifth to make it 5-3. Goshen added an unearned run of its own in the sixth, but left two runners on base, and Amber Adkins made it a two-run margin again at 6-4 in the sixth with a leadoff home run.

The Maple Leafs (1-7) came within a base of tying the game in the seventh after a leadoff single from Jessica Bachtell. Emily Cummings laced a pinch-hit double to left; while the throw to the plate was unsuccessful in halting Bachtell, Cummings was cut down going to third. Batting with the bases empty and two outs rather than with the tying run 60 feet away, Koteles flied out to end the game.

Ashley Adkins started for UAV, going 4 2/3 innings with 2 strikeouts and allowing 5 hits. Mackenzie Potter got the win in relief. Leah Herrman threw 5 innings and Mad Kuipers 1 for Goshen, which got two hits each from Rodriguez, Koteles and Bachtell.

The second game stayed scoreless with two hits apiece through five innings: each team got a runner to third base once, and that was with the help of an error in both cases. The Pioneers got the run they needed on three infield hits in the sixth inning when Perscheid singled through a drawn-in infield with the bases loaded.

Cummings and Bachtell had singled for Goshen in the sixth, the second hit of the game for both, but Shelby Boehmer retired GC in order in the seventh to finish her shutout. Rayna Moraga allowed 6 baserunners and struck out five in going the distance for GC.

All nine hits in the second game were singles.

GC plays its third doubleheader in as many days on Monday, reaching the midpoint of its spring break trip after a twinbill against Hope International University. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. EST.