MAY 4 — Season Comes To Disappointing Close In MCCs

Goshen can't keep momentum going in surprising turn of events to close year

Huntington, IN / Marion, IN — Heading into Thursday’s Mid-Central Conference Tournament, things seemed to finally be falling in place for the Goshen College baseball program. First-year head coach Josh Keister had his team playing as well as it had been all season, winning four of its last six games — a stretch that included a narrow, 1-2 loss to NCAA Division I Indiana University Purdue University-Fort Wayne.

But then baseball can be a funny sport.

And the Leafs found that to be just the case Thursday.

Despite a late-season trend that appeared to have Goshen as a possible Cinderella story in the making, the Leafs dropped both of its initial games in the MCC Tournament, exiting the double-elimination event much sooner than anticipated. Perhaps just as disappointing was the manner in which the exodus occurred, as Goshen dropped a 3-14 decision to Taylor University in the tournament’s opening contest and then fell by a 1-12 score against Indiana Wesleyan to conclude its season just a few hours later.

“This was a very disappointing way to end our season as we did not give our best effort in either game,” Keister said.

Thursday’s outset failed to present an ominous tone for what lie ahead, however, as Goshen (16-36, 8-14) ripped the Trojans for three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead to start 2006 tournament play. A leadoff triple from freshman Kyle Koch got things started, while a follow-up single from sophomore Mike Staehle drove Koch across the plate. After a walk to junior Nate Colclasure put two aboard, junior Brian Shelton ripped a double, scoring Staehle and Colclasure to complete the 3-0 lead.

It would be the only runs Goshen would score in the game, and 75 percent of the squad’s scoring on the day.

Taylor went on to put together four, three-run plus innings of work, starting with a four-run third and adding a pair of three-run stanzas in the sixth and seventh. A four-run eighth inning concluded the game via the 10-run rule, as Goshen compiled just three hits following its three-run first inning.

Junior Dann Hunt (2-7) suffered the loss on the mound, going five full innings while giving up eight runs off of eight hits. Hunt’s five strikeouts were enough to get him through three scoreless innings, but Taylor made the Leafs’ pitching staff pay eventually. Junior Dan Fensler, freshman Landon Rorher and freshman Ian Swartz all made appearances on the mound, with only Swartz — who pitched just two-thirds of an inning — not getting tagged with any runs.

Goshen stranded just four on base for the game, a testament to the team’s lack of offense following its first-inning explosion. Colclasure accounted for two of the team’s three non-first inning hits, going 2-3 overall on the day with a run scored. Koch finished 1-4 with his triple, while Staehle finished 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Shelton provided two RBI off his first-inning double, his only hit of the game in a 1-3 performance.

With a dual-site schedule in place — Goshen faced Taylor at Huntington University in the day’s first game — the Leafs had to make the trip to Indiana Wesleyan University immediately following its Taylor loss, an hour and a half trip to face the host Wildcats. When Goshen finally arrived, Indiana Wesleyan was not hospitable, scoring four runs in the second and eight in the fourth to effectively end the Leafs’ season just an hour into the action.

Senior Ben Taylor (4-7) could not get his best stuff going on the mound, surrendering eight runs off of nine hits in just three innings worked. Fensler came on in relief, lasting just two-thirds of an inning while giving up four runs off of six hits. Freshman Aaron Keister closed out the contest in stellar fashion, pitching three and one-third innings while giving up just one hit and striking out a team-best four.

Goshen could produce just five hits for the game, all singles. Colclasure drove in the team’s lone run in the fifth inning, scoring Koch who reached on a single. Colclasure’s 1-3 effort from the plate was joined by Shelton. Taylor finished 1-1 at the plate while Staehle went 1-2 with a walk and Koch 1-4 with a run scored.

The Leafs’ bid for the program’s first appearance in regional level play since the 1994 season was halted swiftly following the day’s second loss, as Taylor and Spring Arbor University each advanced to NAIA Region VIII play following three- and two-win results, respectively. Marian College, which defeated Bethel College in the MCC Championship series, also advances to regional competition as the MCC Champion. Bethel gets the league’s fourth automatic bid as the MCC North Division winner.

Check back to this website for the most up-to-date information regarding off-season team news and recruiting information. To contact Josh Keister, call him at (574) 535-7748 or click here to send him an email.