(Game 1 Stats) (Game 2 Stats) Goshen, IN — In the midst of the most brutal stretch of the 2007 schedule, the Goshen College baseball team dropped a pair of games to non-conference opponent Aquinas College on Tuesday, falling by 3-5 and 6-16 scores.
Playing its third and fourth contests in a 16-game-in-13-day-stretch, Goshen (3-19, 0-4) narrowly missed out on a stunning comeback effort in Tuesday’s first contest. After falling behind by a 5-2 score, the Leafs were able to load the bases after pushing across a run in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and the winning run standing on first base, senior leader Nate Colclasure hit a rocket toward the left side of the infield.
Aquinas All-American shortstop Matt Soergel proved worthy of his accolades, however, diving to make the play and throw Colclasure out at first to end the game.
“We had a good chance to win the first game today,” said Josh Keister, Goshen head coach. “Colclasure hit a ball deep in the hole at short that would have tied the game, but Soergel is an All-American and he made an incredible play.”
Keister received a superb performance from freshman Matt Fyfe (0-2) on the mound in the contest, as the right-hander went six full innings giving up five runs on 10 hits while striking out two.
Goshen was able to drive in single runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings of play, but a big, three-inning fourth from Aquinas turned the tide of the game. With the score tied at 1-1, the visiting Saints were able to reel off a pair of doubles and a single, driving in three.
Junior Darren Tronovich led Goshen with two hits in a 2-3 plate performance, while classmate Ian Swartz, Colclasure and freshman Aaron Coy all drove in a run apiece.
“We got a great pitching performance from Matt Fyfe today,” Keister said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t put more than three runs together. Again, we were one big hit away.”
Storylines were far different in the day’s second contest, however, as Aquinas opened the finale by scoring two runs in the first and four runs in the second inning of play. That display significantly truncated freshman Zach Miller’s (0-3) tenure on the mound, as the right-handed pitcher lasted only two and one thirds innings.
Goshen responded with a monster second inning offensively, tying the game at 6-6 off of true team baseball: The Leafs recorded six hits in that stanza, with only a double from Colclasure driving in multiple runs (three). Singles from freshmen Derek Swartz, Dustin Swartzel and Jayson Dempsey all got things rolling, and it appeared that again the Leafs were in business.
Aquinas, however, was not finished.
The Saints reeled off seven runs in the third inning, claiming a 13-6 lead and never looking back. When the smoke cleared, Keister had utilized three total pitchers — sophomore Brad Elam and Colclasure both were called on — just their second and third appearances of the season.
Given Goshen’s current game schedule — and the magnitude of Mid-Central Conference contests that sandwiched Tuesday’s games — Keister said he felt compelled to keep his regular pitching rotation on the shelf.
“We battled well early in the second game before our pitching depth ran out,” Keister said. “We played a conference double-header yesterday and have four more league games later this week so our pitching was running thin for a non-conference game. We are hitting the ball better and that should lead to good things in the near future.”
Colclasure finished the second contest going 2-3 from the plate with three RBI thanks to his second-inning double. Derek Swartz went 3-3 with a run scored. Dempsey, Ian Swartz and freshman Kraig Miller all knocked in one RBI each.
Goshen will take just a day of rest before returning to MCC competition Thursday, when the team travels to rival Grace College for a double-header. Game time for the first of two is set for 1 p.m. The Lancers will then return the favor on Saturday, when they travel to the Goshen College Baseball Complex for another double-dip beginning at 1 p.m.
|
Freshman Matt Fyfe