2012 BASEBALL SEASON REVIEW

INTERACT:
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OVERALL RECORD: 13-36
MCC RECORD/ FINISH: 6-28 / 10th Place
AWARDS:  CoSIDA Academic All District - Spencer Oversen, NAIA Scholar-Athlete - Luke Hucker, NAIA Scholar-Athlete - Spencer Oversen, NAIA Scholar-Athlete - David Stoesz, NAIA Scholar-Athlete - Ben Diedring

LINKS: Photo Gallery | Schedule/ Results | Roster | MCC Standings

OVERVIEW:

FINE START - Goshen got off to its best start in over a decade, sweeping host University of Pikeville in the season opener and then starting its Florida trip 2-1 for a 4-1 beginning to the year.

DEPTH - Playing a 36-game conference schedule for the first time (the most conference games scheduled of any college conference at any level), depth was always going to be important.  A number of key injuries, particularly to the pitching staff limited the options for Goshen's coaching staff.

GEMS MIXED IN - A number of strong pitching performances sprinkled throughout the season included complete-game efforts by Zach Thompson, Matt Austin, Spencer Ovsersen, and Caleb Yoder.  Oversen also fired the first complete-game shutout for the Leafs in nearly two years.

HIGHLIGHTS:

ONE RUN THE DIFFERENCE (2/20) -  The Maple Leafs drove eight-plus hours each way, but the journey was worth it when they came out of Kentucky with a pair of one-run victories, including an 11-inning thriller in the season opener.  Read More 

SERIES RALLY (3/1) - Goshen won its second-straight series to start the year, but they needed to come from a game down to defeat Houghton College in 2-of-3 to start their Florida trip.  Read More 

EXTRA-INNINGS RALLY (3/10) - After dropping five straight, the Leafs rallied for a 7-6 extra-innings victory at Concordia University.  Andy Swisher had his second RBI hit of the game in the 8th inning, which proved to be the difference.  Read More  

HOME DEBUT (3/17) - Redshirt freshman Matt Austin scattered just five hits and one unearned run, firing a complete game to give Goshen a 12-1 victory and double-header split with visiting Lourdes University.  Read More  

MCC BREAKTHROUGH (3/31) - Garrett Cannizzo had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer as the Maple Leafs registered their first MCC win of the season, 4-3 at Indiana Wesleyan.  Read More  

FRESHMAN ON MOUND (4/6) - Freshman Zach Thompson threw his second-straight complete game striking out six and giving up only one run to lead Goshen past Grace 3-1.  Read More 

SHUTOUT (4/7) - Junior Spencer Oversen got out of a pair of bases-loaded jams on way to a complete-game shutout over visiting Marian University.  It was the Leafs first shutout in nearly two years and the first complete-game shutout thrown by a Goshen pitcher since Oversen's first career win two years ago.  Read More 

WILD FINISH (4/12) - The seventh inning saw seven runs cross the plate as Goshen lost the lead and then regained it with a Josh Schlabach single ultimately giving them a 7-6 victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene.  Read More

ANOTHER EXTRA-INNING THRILLER (4/24) - Freshman CJ Talley hit a two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning as Goshen salvaged a split at Bethel.  Read More 

BY THE NUMBERS:

PLAYING EXTRAS - The Maple Leafs played five extra-inning contests of the season, going 3-2 in those games.  Two of those went at least nine innings, including the season opener, a 6-5 Goshen win in 11 innings at the University of Pikeville.

FRONT END - Five of the Maple Leafs six wins in Mid-Central College Conference play came in the opening game of a double-header (83%).  Overall, the opening game of a twin bill accounted for 68% of the team's victories.

SLUGGING SENIOR - Senior Garrett Cannizzo finished the year ranked in the top 20 in the conference averaging 0.33 doubles per game (4th, 35), 0.81 runs batted in (10th, 0.81), a .486 slugging percentage, and 1.58 total bases per contest (15th, 68).  He ended his career as one of just six Maple Leafs to ever knock in more than 100 runs (101).

ALL-TIME - The Maple Leafs are now 645-1017-8 (.389) all-time since starting as a varsity program in 1957.