APR. 27 — Momentum Train Slows Only Slightly At IPFW
Goshen proves it belongs with NCAA Division I Mastodons; falls by 1-2 count

Fort Wayne, IN — Riding a three-game winning streak and playing its fifth game in six days, the Goshen College baseball program took its best shot at NCAA Division I Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne on Thursday.

And while the Leafs couldn’t push their current streak to four straight, they certainly proved they belonged.

Behind a powerful pitching performance from 2005 Mid-Central Conference Player of the Year Ben Taylor (senior), Goshen (15-33, 7-13) hung with the host Mastodons until the very end, dropping a 1-2 decision at IPFW’s Mastodon Field. Goshen’s lack of offense proved the difference in the contest, as Taylor (4-6) went six full innings striking out six and walking just one.

“It was a good experience for us to play an NCAA Division I team,” said Josh Keister, Goshen head coach. “With Taylor and (junior Brian) Shelton on the mound I did not feel that we were at all overmatched.”

That thought proved prophetic at the outset of the contest, as Taylor forced IPFW’s first two hitters to fly out to safely retire the first inning with no damage done. The Mastodons were able to push one runner across in both the second and third innings, however, as Taylor gave up five of his nine total hits allowed in those frames.

From that point on it was Taylor — and Shelton who entered at the start of the seventh inning — that overpowered IPFW, allowing just seven hits and only four runners aboard base in a final five innings of shutout work.

Goshen found the going equally as difficult at the plate, however, as IPFW’s pitching staff allowed just seven Leafs’ hits on the afternoon. Shelton provided the only scoring of the game, as a lead-off home run to open the top of the fourth inning pulled Goshen to within a run. After stranding nine base runners, however, Keister’s team could not find the offense to push the tying score across.

“Even though they out hit us fairly badly we had several good chances to score,” Keister said. “Unfortunately, we hit a couple of balls right at people that would have otherwise been solid hits.”

Shelton’s 1-4 and one RBI performance led the charge at the plate for Goshen, as senior Greg Koop was the only multiple-hit performer, going 2-3 with a single and a double. Taylor, sophomore Alex Childers and freshmen Ian Swartz and Kyle Shaffer all singled in the loss.

Goshen will again get only a short break from competition, as the team will resume MCC play Saturday when the University of St. Francis will visit the Goshen College Baseball Complex. Game time for the first of two seven-inning affairs is set for 1 p.m.