GOSHEN, Ind., and MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — The Goshen College softball team picked up its first win of the 2021 Crossroads League season Saturday at Mount Vernon Nazarene University after going the distance Friday with NAIA no. 12 Indiana Wesleyan University at the Ingold Athletic Complex.
Senior Stacey Landry led the Maple Leafs with a .417 batting average for the weekend and Mia Pawelski added a complete-game win in the pitching circle.
Friday, game 1: Indiana Wesleyan 13, Goshen 6
Back-to-back homers from Miranda Hipolito and Kyra Wilson gave Goshen a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but that advantage would not last as the Wildcats (13-1, 4-0) answered with four runs apiece in each of the third and fourth frames to take a 10-3 lead.
Landry's bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth started a Maple Leaf rally that also included Rianna Koteles scoring on a wild pitch after hits from Quintero and Alisyn Catenacci. Edith Vega added an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth to score an unearned run after Ashley Glazer reached on an error.
Elisa Koshy finished the scoring with a two-run double for IWU in the top of the seventh and led IWU with three runs batted in for the day. Hannah Miller also had three hits and three RBI while Chloe Tragesser was 4 for 5 at the plate.
Hipolito had three hits to lead the Maple Leafs and Landry was 2 for 3. Quintero pitched the last four innings on the mound. Danielle Munn got the win and Mckenzey Ridge the save for IWU.
Friday, game 2: Indiana Wesleyan 9, Goshen 4
Koshy and Miller each went yard for the Wildcats, who took a 9-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth before Goshen staved off the run rule and came back to make it a game in the final innings.
The Maple Leafs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth, getting a Jolie Groeneveld single to score Pawelski before Glazer's base hit scored Groeneveld and Regan Sheipline. The hit came after IWU appeared to have won the game, but Goshen coach Juliaclare Plezbert appealed and the final out was taken off the board due to an improperly reported substitution.
After a popout to short ended that threat, Goshen scored again in the sixth after a stolen base led to three consecutive Wildcat errors, but neither team would get a hit the rest of the way as the game ended.
Goshen's six hits, all singles, came from six players while Miranda Wehrle and Aubrie Eckert had two hits each for the Wildcats. Alyssa Wagner took the win after 4 shutout innings with 6 strikeouts and Caleigh Resler threw 3 scoreless innings of relief for GC.
Saturday, game 1: Goshen 8, Mount Vernon Nazarene 4
After starting the conference season with four straight games against nationally-ranked opponents and paying the price on its record, Goshen pulled ahead in the third inning Saturday and stayed there for a win in Ohio.
Groeneveld started the inning with a double before the bases loaded around her and Koteles tied the game with a walk before Landry cleared the sacks with a two-out double. Pawelski helped her own cause with a two-bagger to score the final run of the inning and put Goshen up 5-1. GC added runs on ground balls from Espinoza and Koteles in the fourth and a Glazer single in the sixth.
The Cougars (3-1, 0-1) threatened in the bottom of the fifth, getting a 3-run double from Macee Marcum to close the gap to 7-4, but mustered one hit the rest of the way. Pawelski finished with 7 hits and 9 strikeouts in the circle.
Goshen (11-9, 1-5) roped four doubles and Vega and Glazer had two hits each. Landry drove in three runs and Koteles two.
Saturday, game 2: Mount Vernon Nazarene 5, Goshen 4
In the nightcap, MVNU put up five runs, two of which were unearned, in the first two innings and held on for a 5-4 win. Kylee Matern led off the first inning with a homer and a wild pitch proceeded to score Maddison Ruhl to double the lead. Katelyn Perkins added a two-run single in the bottom of the second for a 5-0 lead.
Goshen got two runs back in the third inning when Koteles lofted a fly ball to right and the ball was dropped, then added two more in the sixth on an Espinoza sacrifice fly and a Quintero single. Unfortunately, the tying run was tagged out at the plate on Quintero's base hit and GC entered the seventh inning down 5-4.
GC got a baserunner on an error with one out in the seventh, but MVNU reliever Sheridan Sullivan got the last two batters for a save. Marcum started and threw 6 innings with 8 hits while Rayna Moraga allowed 4 hits and no earned runs in 4 2/3 innings for GC.
Quintero and MVNU's Katelyn Perkins each finished with 2 hits.
Up Next: Goshen makes a pair of very short road trips this week, going 25 miles to Grace College for a conference doubleheader at 3 p.m. Tuesday and 30 miles to IU South Bend for a non-conference doubleheader at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
