MELBOURNE, Fla. - After losing their first game to an undefeated St. Thomas team by two runs, Goshen responded in game two by shutting out Fort Lauderdale for the second straight day. Over the two games against the Eagles, Goshen outscored Fort Lauderdale 20-0 and allowed just three hits.
St. Thomas remained undefeated this season with the win and is now at nine wins with no losses. They have outscored their opponents 43-16 this year. The Bobcats scored three early runs in the first, the final run coming when Natalie Kopicova stole home as Jade Fayad stole second base.
In the bottom of the first,
Mckenzie Richardson fouled out to left. Ella McLeod advanced on the throw, and
Kaylee Kates scored from the play to make it 3-1. In the third, a two-RBI double made it 5-1 in favor of the Bobcats.
In the bottom of the fourth inning,
Kamille Badibanga connected on her third hit of the season in a significant way. With runners at first and second, she hit a three-run shot over the fence to pull the Leafs to within a run. St. Thomas took their starting pitcher out of the game after that point.
After
Grace Schmitt's four innings on the mound,
Liliana Herrera came into the game to pitch the final three innings. She gave up one earned run, but the GC offense couldn't provide any support over the last three innings as the Bobcats won 6-4.
Goshen had more hits (9-7), but the St. Thomas hitters didn't strike out once. St. Thomas starter Kaitlin Spalding didn't throw any strikeouts during her 3.1 innings on the mound, but Melody Vizcaino struck out six in the final 3.2 innings. No Goshen batter walked the entire game.
Shea VanScoter totaled three hits, including a double, and had a stolen base.
Bianca Diamond had three hits, and
Kamille Badibanga had three RBIs from her home run.
Peyton Foreman had 12 of the team's 21 putouts at first base.
The Maple Leafs didn't score in the first inning against Fort Lauderdale, but they put up nine runs over the next two innings.
Bianca Diamond and
Bernadette Quintero started off the second with back-to-back singles before
Kamille Badibanga reached base on a fielding error and Diamond scored the first run of the game. Later in the inning,
Esme Pico hit a three-run shot to left, extending the lead to 4-0. With
Kaylee Kates on base after hitting a bunt single,
Alyssa McDonald hit the second homer of the inning to make it 6-0. The Leafs produced six runs on five hits in the second inning alone.
In the third, Badibanga hit an RBI double to left to put Goshen up by a touchdown and an extra point.
Kyra Wilson singled and later stole second, but Badibanga made it home on a throwing error by the catcher. Then Wilson scored the ninth and final run of the game when Pico hit an RBI single.
Pico was 2-2 with a home run, four RBIs and a run scored. She was also the starting pitcher and threw all five innings in a shortened game due to the run rule. She allowed no earned runs, no walks, and just two hits. She forced ten Eagles hitters to hit into groundouts. Badibanga ended the game with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Hailey Elgan scored twice as a pinch runner,
Alyssa McDonald had two RBIs and
Kaylee Kates had two hits.
For their final two games in Florida, the Maple Leafs will face Keiser on Friday at 2:00 pm before taking on regional foe Calumet College of St. Joseph at 4:30 pm.
