GOSHEN, Ind. — The Goshen College baseball team christened its 2021 home season with a pair of losses to Cleary University on Wednesday, dropping 16-2 and 12-3 decisions in their first two games of the season at J. Harold "Sarge" Yoder Field.
Peyton Smith and Nate Lange each poked three hits, including one double apiece, for the Maple Leafs, who also got a two-bagger from Gabe Kermode.
Goshen started the home slate with a moment of silence in memory of Doug Wellenreiter, the assistant coach who was in his seventh season with the team and fourth decade as a baseball coach when he passed away in November 2020. His wife of 41 years, Kelly, threw out the first ball, accompanied by one of the couple's three grandchildren.
Cleary took the lead in the second inning of game one when a Kendall Flaugher single bounced over the head of the Maple Leaf infield, scoring Henry Bonette from second base. Three more runs crossed the plate in the third before a Lange double and an Austin Bontrager single got the Maple Leafs back within 4-2.
The Cougars (5-10) tacked on two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings, apparently getting a pair of home runs from Kyle Miazgowicz, but they gave a run back in the fifth when Miazgowicz was called out for not touching home plate.
A six-run inning in the sixth, sparked by a Jarod Wierengo grand slam, made it 14-2, and Dakota Adkins and Nic Olson each singled to drive in runs in the seventh.
Kevin Thompson threw a complete game for the Cougars, allowing 7 hits and striking out 3 in 7 innings. Eric Pettipiece, Keegan Kwong, Connor Daniel and Benjamin Witterstaetter all worked for the Maple Leafs. Five Cleary players had two hits apiece and Wierengo drove in a game-high five runs.
Cleary took a 5-0 lead through an inning and a half in game two after a 3-run homer by Jeremy VanOosterum and a triple by Anthony Lacle. Lange added two hits for GC before the Cougars broke the game open with a six-run fifth.
The Maple Leafs (0-13) rebounded in the bottom of the inning, getting an RBI double from Kermode to plate Jenner Rodammer along with runs from Justin Harris and Bobby Garcia.
Aaron Dyke's solo home run set the final score in the top of the seventh, capping a five-homer day for CU.
Lucas Withers went the distance on the mound for the Cougars, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and striking out 9 on 105 pitches. Smith, Toby Fox and Morgan Baker all pitched for Goshen.
Lacle, who missed the cycle by a triple, and VanOosterum each had three hits for Cleary.
Goshen returns to the Crossroads League schedule this weekend for a visit from Indiana Wesleyan University, which had a 16-game winning streak snapped by Lawrence Tech on Wednesday. The series will consist of two doubleheaders, beginning at 1 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
