GOSHEN, Ind. — After a winning spring break trip and an 8-8 start to the season, the Goshen College softball team got a bitter pill to swallow on Tuesday, losing 5-0 and 10-2 to NAIA fourth-ranked Marian University at the John Ingold Athletic Complex.

Third baseman Stacey Landry had two hits in the opener in her first career appearance on GC's home field while McKinzi Vega laced a double. In the second game, Emily Cummings had two hits while Landry and Sandra Rodriguez each drove in runs.

Marian (10-2, 2-0 Crossroads League) jumped on the scoreboard early, plating four runs in the first two innings while sending 13 batters to the plate. Shelbie Stott whacked a two-run single to make it 4-0 in the top of the second inning.

The Knights added on in the top of the sixth, manufacturing a run on a walk and an infield single.

Goshen (8-10, 0-2) put together its biggest inning in the bottom of the sixth behind a Vega double and a Jessica Bachtell walk, but a strikeout ended the inning and stopped the tying run from reaching the on-deck circle. GC also drew a pair of walks in the seventh.

In the second game, each team benefitted from an error by the opposing third baseman to score two runs in the third inning, but the Maple Leafs were unable to keep up with the Knight onslaught as Marian scored in each of its last four trips to the plate.

Olivia Hoffman opened the top of the third with a base hit to left, and the Knights loaded the bases on a sacrifice, an error and a bunt base hit. Sadie Baugh rapped a two-out base hit to center to score two runs before a flyout ended the inning.

Goshen replied by putting two .400 hitters on base in the bottom of the inning when Rianna Koteles reached on an error and Emily Cummings singled. A double steal put them both in scoring position and a groundout and sacrifice fly drove them home, but a flyout ended that inning as well.

The Knights added three runs on four hits in the fourth inning, then added a Savannah Harweger triple and run in the fifth. Hoffman and Hoyt each singled in the sixth inning to set up two-run homers from Stotts and Baugh.

Hoffman and Baugh each finished with 3 hits and Hoyt and Stotts had 2. Baugh drove in 4 runs and Stotts 3.

The Maple Leafs get little respite from the NAIA's top teams on their early-season schedule, hosting 11th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Friday.