Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2
MARION, Ind. – In an unconventional format, the Mid-Central Conference baseball season called for fourth through ninth place to take part in play-in series to determine three of the six entries into the MCC Tournament next week.
The format pitted seventh-seeded Goshen at fifth-seed Indiana Wesleyan – four played nine, five and six played each other, while the top three in the regular-season standings received a bye into the tournament.
It turned out to be an unfortunate draw for the Maple Leafs as they ran into a offense that was firing on all cylinders. The Wildcats racked up 33 hits as they cruised to wins of 18-2 and 14-4.
After Indiana Wesleyan tallied two in the first, Goshen responded with a run in the second get within a single run in the opener. Kraig Miller led off the second with a walk, was moved around to third on an error and groundout before eventually scoring on a RBI single from freshman Sean Doering.
Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, it was all Indiana Wesleyan from there. The Wildcats scored in each of the seven innings, while they pounded five extra-base hits. Doering had two of Goshen's four hits, including a double.
Indiana Wesleyan continued the momentum into the nightcap as they scored in each of the first five innings.
The Maple Leafs did manage three runs in the fifth after Sean Sears doubled, Mike Malott walked, and Darren Tronovich drove them both home with a two-run single. Tronovich would later score on a RBI single from freshman Zach Reed.
Sears led the Leafs, going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, while Malott finished 2-for-2.
Goshen officially said goodbye to five seniors as Mike Malott (Goshen, Ind.), Mark Springer (Bloomington, Ill.), Tom McDowell (Harvey, Ill.), Ian Swartz (Harrisonburg, Va.), and Darren Tronovich (Coopersville, Mich.) all played in their final games this weekend.
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