HUNTINGTON, Ind. - The Goshen softball team has started conference play with a 4-0 record for the first time since 2001. They defeated Huntington twice on Thursday to get there - winning 2-1 and 10-4. The Leafs win streak improves to seven games.
Alisyn Catenacci was dominant on the mound for a second straight day. She improved to 4-2 this season with a complete game in game one. She allowed just one run, four hits, and struck out five batters. In the last five games she has pitched in, Goshen is 5-0, and she has a 4-0 record in those contests. With an ERA at 2.45, she is tied for fourth in the conference in wins.
The Maple Leafs and Foresters were both held scoreless in a pitcher's duel until the runs started to trickle in in the fifth inning. Huntington got on the board first when Breanna Hines singled to center and Maddie Duvall scored. But Goshen quickly answered in the top of the sixth.
Ella Mcleod,
Alisyn Catenacci, and
Alyssa McDonald all walked to load the bases. Then,
Kamille Badibanga hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Mcleod and tie the game.
In the seventh,
Bianca Diamond and
Kaylee Kates started the inning with back-to-back singles. After they each stole a base, Mcleod singled through the right side of the infield and Diamond scored. Kates attempted to score as well but was out at the plate. It didn't make a difference in the end, as Catenacci got three quick outs to end the game with a 2-1 Leafs victory.
Mcleod was 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Diamond went 2-3 with a run and a stolen base.
By the end of game two, the Goshen offense was back in full swing - scoring runs in the final four innings.
Badibanga started Goshen's scoring in the top of the fourth with a sac fly. But the Foresters had a sac fly in the third and a couple of RBI hits in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. In the fifth, the Maple Leafs scored four runs as Catenacci and Badibanga each hit two-RBI singles. That put the Leafs up 5-3, and they held the lead for the rest of the game.
Shea VanScoter threw all seven innings on the mound. Though she allowed ten hits, she didn't walk any batters and only allowed three earned runs.
Kamille Badibanga went 3-3 with a run and three RBIs. VanScoter, Catenacci, and Mcleod all had two hits apiece.
Mckenzie Richardson scored twice.
GC is 6-2 in the last eight matchups against Huntington. Goshen is scheduled to host Saint Francis on Saturday, March 18, at 1:00 pm in a doubleheader.
