COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Goshen softball team started their 2022 campaign with two close losses on the road to Vanguard University, a team that is receiving votes in the preseason poll. The Lions won game one 2-1 before winning game two 5-3.
While the Maple Leafs are just getting their season started, the Lions entered the day with a 17-5 record and were coming off two lopsided victories against Antelope Valley. Game one was a pitcher's duel. Vanguard's Brianna Williams allowed just three hits through five innings, and Goshen's
Amanda Hartman had allowed two. The scoring started in the sixth when
Ri Koteles smashed a solo home run to center field – scoring the first Goshen run of the season.
The Lions answered quickly with three hits in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at the corners, Kaylie Williams reached first on an error, scoring Noni Chavez to tie the game. Marissa Gurrola hit a single with two outs in the inning that brought home Makenzie Miller to give the home team a 2-1 lead.
Kamille Badibanga had a double in the seventh but was out at third when attempting to stretch it to a single. Two more outs followed, and Vanguard won 2-1.
Freshman
Amanda Hartman tossed six innings in her first game, allowing no earned runs, two runs, and just five hits. For Vanguard, Brianna Williams allowed one earned run in seven innings, five hits, and five strikeouts on her way to the win. Williams has a 13-1 record and a 1.16 ERA through Saturday. She has allowed 14 earned runs in 84.1 innings pitched. She leads the NAIA in wins – the next closest competitor has nine. She is also ranked third in strikeouts.
Along with Koteles and Badibanga,
Alisyn Catenacci,
Alyssa McDonald, and
Grace Schmitt all recorded hits for Goshen.
The offense came quicker for the Leafs in game two. A leadoff single from
Kaylee Kates and walks by Koteles and
Mia Pawelski left the bases loaded for McDonald with two outs. She delivered with a single to center, scoring Kates and Koteles and giving GC an early 2-0 lead.
The Lions had RBI singles from Emma Noble in the second and fourth innings to tie the game. Then in the fifth, they exploded with three runs on four hits, capped off by a double by Kaylie Williams that scored two runs to make it 5-2.
The Maple Leafs put up a fight in the top of the seventh.
Edith Vega doubled to left-center and advanced to third on a flyout by Koteles. Then, Catenacci hit one up the middle to score Vega and pull Goshen to within two. With
Shea VanScoter pinch-running,
Grace Schmitt hit a single that advanced VanScoter to second. However, the comeback would end there, and Vanguard won game two 5-3.
LeeAnne Miranda picked up the win for the Lions, pitching the final five innings and giving up just one earned run on three hits. Pawelski got the loss for Goshen, going 4.1 innings allowing five earned and eight hits, but just two earned runs from the first four innings. Hartman pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing no earned runs and two hits.
Catenacci was 2-4 with an RBI, and McDonald was 1-4 with two RBIs. Vega and Badibanga each had a double.
Goshen will play at Riverside, California, tomorrow at 2:00 pm EST against La Sierra in a doubleheader. The Golden Eagles are 3-5 this season.
