INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Preston Anderson pitched three innings in relief without allowing a hit as Goshen won game two against Marian 3-2. The Knights won the first game 6-4 and split the season series. The games today were originally supposed to be played in Goshen on Saturday but were moved to Indianapolis due to the weekend weather.
Goshen has played in some close games as of recent. Six of their last eight have been within two runs and they are 3-3 in those games. "If you are going to be competitive in the Crossroads League you have to make pitches and have good at-bats in high leverage situations," said head coach
Alex Childers. "We have played some really close games this year and to get a big win in a tight game helps that confidence grow."
The Knights started the afternoon with three straight hits in the top of the first - a double, then a single, followed by another double. They scored three runs in the inning on four hits. Goshen starter
David Lopez settled in after the first, only allowing one hit between the second and fourth innings.
The Maple Leafs had two quick outs in the second inning, but
Trent Sillett kept the inning alive with a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Morgan Baker doubled down the left field line to score Sillett and it was 3-1.
Collin Echols walked and Baker moved to third on the wild pitch.
Nate Lange hit a single that scored Baker, and the Leafs were within one. They tied the game in the fourth when Lange hit another RBI single to score Baker.
Marian's Bryce Davenport hit a two-run home run in the fifth and the Knights added another run in the eighth to go up 6-3. Goshen had a ninth inning rally, loading the bases via a walk, a hit by pitch, and a single.
Joseph Cerda grounded out but got an RBI as Lange scored. After an intentional walk, the game ended with the bases loaded and Marian escaped with a 6-4 win.
Lange was 2-3 for Goshen with two RBIs, a run scored and a walk. Baker scored twice and
Jenner Rodammer hit two singles.
Dalton Soergel and
Preston Anderson combined to allow just two runs in their seven innings on the mound in game two.
Marian scored in the first on an RBI single from Davenport but the Leafs responded in the bottom half of the inning when
Joseph Cerda hit a sac fly to center that scored Anderson. They took the lead in the second as
Joshua Rubio connected and smacked a double to left center to score
Trent Sillett.
The Knights had an RBI single in the fourth, but that would essentially end their offense for the day. Anderson came into the game starting in the fifth and didn't allow any runs or hits in the final three innings. He struck out four batters and walked one. The Leafs took the lead in the fifth on another sacrifice fly. This time it was
Morgan Baker sending one to left, and Cerda scored. 3-2 was the final score and
Preston Anderson got the win.
Nate Lange had two of Goshen's five hits and Sillett and Rubio each had doubles. Lange had four hits this season coming into the game, and now it has doubled to eight.
"While we may be young in some spots, we are getting the inexperience out of the way," shared Childers.
Goshen had an 11-game losing streak against Marian heading into this season, but took two of the four games against the Knights this year.
The Leafs are at Bethel on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11. Friday's action starts at 1:00 pm and Saturday's is at noon. These games will count toward the U.S. Highway 20 Cup rivalry.
