GOSHEN, Ind. – The Maple Leafs were close to a walk-off winner against the #18 Marian Knights on Sunday, but the visitors won game one 7-6 in extra innings before crushing the Leafs 16-3 in game two.
Marian led 6-0 before the Leafs started to creep back. It started with
Jessica Bachtell's RBI single up the middle in the fourth and continued with
Mia Pawelski's RBI single later in the inning. Goshen piled on three more runs in the fifth.
Carissa Fillingame scored on a wild pitch,
Alyssa McDonald hit a sacrifice fly to left field, and
Edith Vega's groundout scored
Ri Koteles.
Down 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh, GC needed a run to send it to extras or at least two runs for a walk-off winner. They got the first run when McDonald doubled to left-center, and
Kyra Wilson scored. There were runners at second and third with one out when Bachtell came to bat, but Marian's third baseman snagged a line drive and then tagged the runner at third to end the inning and send it to extras.
Marian's Jenna Minnix hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth, and Goshen couldn't string together another rally to answer. The Knights won 7-6 in eight innings.
Shea VanScoter threw all eight innings for Goshen. She allowed seven earned runs, striking out four and walking one. Sydney Wilson earned Marian's win, throwing a full eight innings and allowing three earned runs.
McDonald was a perfect 3-3 at the plate, hitting a double with two RBIs and a run.
Marian had a few big innings in game two, which helped show why they are a top-20 team and now 12-4 in the Crossroads League.
They scored six runs on four hits in the first, four runs on four hits in the third, and four runs on two hits in the fourth. They added two more runs on two hits in the fifth. The Knights totaled 14 hits and five walks and won 16-3.
Goshen scored three runs late in the bottom of the fifth when Wilson hit a sac fly, and Koteles and McDonald added RBI singles. Pawelski,
Olivia Gibson, and Koteles scored the runs.
Olivia Stunkel earned the win for Marian and improved to 10-1 this season. In three innings, she didn't allow any hits or runs. Eight of the nine outs were via the strikeout.
Alisyn Catenacci had the loss, allowing six earned in one inning.
Goshen (15-17, 5-13 CL) plays at Taylor on Monday, April 11, starting at 4:00 pm. Then on Tuesday, April 12, they are back home to host #8 Indiana Wesleyan, starting at 3:00 pm.