GOSHEN, Ind. - Jenner Rodammer and
Joshua Rubio had clutch late-game hits in an extra-inning game two against Saint Francis, but the Cougars won both portions of the doubleheader - 18-5 and 11-8 (in nine innings).
USF led 3-0 after five innings in game one before the runs started to pile up. They added three more, but Goshen got on the board with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Trent Sillett had an RBI double,
Nate Lange added an RBI single, and
Joshua Rubio and
Chris Godden each walked in runs.
Yet the Cougars came up big with two runs in the seventh, five in the eighth, and another five in the ninth. Goshen scored once in the eighth, and the final was 18-5.
Eric Pettipiece allowed six earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched for Goshen. He struck out four and walked two. Each of Goshen's seven hits came from seven different players. The Leafs also had a season-high six errors which led to seven unearned runs.
After a two hour and 51 minute game one, fans got to see three and a half hours more with two extra innings in game two.
Goshen was down 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh, needing two runs to send it to extras. With two outs and the bases loaded,
Jenner Rodammer hit a single through the left side that scored
Justin Dambruck and
Nate Lange.
The Cougars scored twice in the eighth, and the Leafs needed to respond again. Back to back doubles from
Joseph Cerda and
Preston Anderson made it 8-7. Then with two outs,
Joshua Rubio hit one just over the first baseman's glove into right field, scoring Anderson to tie it up again. USF had a two-run home run and an RBI single in the ninth, but Goshen couldn't answer back for a third time.
The Leafs tied a season-high with 17 hits in the game. Cerda, Lange and Dambruck each had three while Rodammer, Sillett and Anderson had two apiece.
Benjamin Witterstaetter and
Lance Wilson each pitched an inning and didn't allow any runs.
AJ Lenn threw four strikeouts but also five walks in 2.1 innings.
The Leafs and Cougars conclude the series on Saturday, April 15, at 1:00 pm in Goshen.