MELBOURNE, Fla. - Goshen went 1-1 on their penultimate day of competition at the Space Coast Spring Games, losing to Johnson 1-2 and beating Siena Heights 13-5 in five innings. Johnson is receiving votes in the NAIA coaches poll.
Alyssa McDonald set the school record for career triples in game two.
Game One
Goshen was held hitless until
Bianca Diamond hit a triple with one out in the fourth. It would be their only hit through the first six innings of the game.
Despite the limited offensive support, Maple Leafs starting pitcher
Esme Pico kept her team in the game with a solid performace on the mound. She threw six innings and only recorded one strikeout, but she allowed just two earned runs and five hits.
The Goshen bats started to wake up in the top of the seventh, as
Carissa Fillingame led off the inning with a single. After two flyouts,
Brinleigh Arredondo singled and
Kamille Badibanga doubled to score Fillingame. Arredondo advanced to third but was tagged out while trying to score the game-tying run, ending the game.
While Goshen only had four hits, two were for extra bases - Badibanga's RBI double and Diamond's triple.
Game Two
The lack of offense from game one with the offensive firepower from the Leafs in game two was a striking juxtaposition. Goshen scored eight first inning runs on six hits and three Siena Heights errors. Twelve Goshen batters stepped to the plate in the inning and the Saints removed their starter after recording just one out.
However, Siena Heights also started strong in the bottom of the first.
Camryn Barrows allowed four walks and was taken out and replaced by
Grace Schmitt. Schmitt allowed four runs in the inning, all credited to Barrows. But Goshen still had a four run lead.
It would grow in the second and third to 12-4. Schmitt allowed a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Goshen tacked one on in the top of the fifth to allow for the chance of a mercy rule win in five innings if Siena Heights was held scoreless in the bottom half of the inning. Schmitt did just that with a flyout, strikeout, and popup after walking the first batter.
The Saints finished with five errors while Goshen had none. Schmitt allowed one earned run in five innings pitched, earning the win.
Alyssa McDonald went 3-4 with two singles, a triple, three runs scored and three RBIs. McDonald's first inning triple was the tenth of her career, breaking Rianna Koteles' ('22) school record of nine.
Celeste Gutierrez went 2-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Shea VanScoter had a single, an RBI and three runs scored.
Bianca Diamond had two singles and two runs.
Ella Mcleod had a pair of singles and a pair of walks.
Grace Schmitt added to her pitching performance with two runs scored, a walk and an RBI.
Goshen plays Shawnee State in a doubleheader on Saturday at 10:00 am at a different site - Launch Pad Sports Complex. Due to the location change, the games will not be live streamed. Shawnee State is receiving votes in the coaches poll.
