GOSHEN, Ind. – Two home runs by
Ri Koteles and another by
Grace Schmitt powered the Goshen Maple Leafs offense on Tuesday afternoon. With
Mia Pawelski getting the job done on the mound, Goshen upset the #8 Wildcats of Indiana Wesleyan 9-6.
Koteles hit her first home run in the first inning – a solo shot in the number two spot. Later in the inning,
Ellie Van Heerde and
Alyssa McDonald scored unearned runs after a dropped fly ball by the shortstop. Koteles came back up to bat again in the second and hit a two-run homer, scoring
Edith Vega. Goshen quickly had a 5-0 lead over the best team in the Crossroads League.
Pawelski didn't allow any hits in the first two innings and continued to keep IWU off the scoreboard through the fourth. The Wildcats picked up three runs in the fifth, but the Maple Leafs got runs when they needed them.
Pawelski helped her cause with a two-RBI single down the right-field line that scored
Claire Ouellette and McDonald. While it increased Goshen's lead to 7-3, Indiana Wesleyan answered with another trio of runs in the sixth.
With just a one-run lead now,
Grace Schmitt sent one over the fence in left-center – the first home run in her collegiate career.
Shea VanScoter closed out the game in the final 1.1 innings to earn the save as Goshen won 9-6.
"Getting a win against the top team in the conference is huge," said head coach
Juliaclare Plezbert. "The team has put in a lot of hard work to be able to beat the top teams, and it finally paid off today."
This was Goshen's first win over IWU since April 15, 2015, ending a 21-game losing streak. Koteles finished the game going 3-4 with two runs and three RBIs. The program leader in home runs extends her career total to 30. Pawelski allowed three earned runs in 5.2 innings. She improves her record to 6-7 this season.
The Wildcats, who were 15-2 in the Crossroads League before today, won game two 20-3 in five innings.
They scored in each inning – with nine runs coming in the third inning alone. Miranda Wehrle was 4-5 at the plate with a home run, three runs scored, and six RBIs. The Wildcats totaled 17 hits in that contest.
Grace Schmitt continued to perform in game two for GC, going 2-3 with two doubles, a stolen base, and two RBIs.
Goshen hosts Mount Vernon Nazarene, who is receiving votes in the NAIA coaches poll, on Friday, April 15 at 1:00 pm.
