GOSHEN and UPLAND, Ind. – The Goshen College baseball team continued its early-season struggles in close games as Taylor University won three of the four games by three or fewer runs as they swept the Maple Leafs in the Mid-Central Conference openers for both teams.
Goshen is now 1-8 in games decided by less than three runs, while they are 5-13 overall and 0-4 in the Mid-Central Conference. The weather caused several changes in the four-game series as Thursday's double-header was moved to Wednesday in Goshen and Tuesday's games were moved to Thursday in Upland to avoid winter weather.
Taylor 4, Goshen 3 (March 19) (Box Score)
Sophomore Shane Kurtz rebounded from a shaky start at the University of the Cumberlands to pitch five solid innings for the Maple Leafs. The right-hander gave up three runs before exiting in a jam in the sixth. Brad Elam came in and gave up a single run in two innings of relief.
Trojan starter Taylor Kinzer kept the Maple Leafs at bay early on retiring the first ten he faced. Down 4-0 in the sixth, Goshen would rally as singles by Adam Zehr and Mike Malott followed by a Trojan error loaded the bases with no outs.
Kinzer was able to get Darren Tronovich to ground out which scored Goshen's first run before striking out Kraig Miller. With two outs and two on, Sean Doering ripped a clutch two-run single to center bringing the Maple Leafs within one. Caleb Stertzer came on to shut the door for Taylor giving them the 4-3 win in the opener. Doering led Goshen, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Taylor 5, Goshen 2 (March 19) (Box Score)
Coming off a complete-game shutout less than a week before, Ian Swartz was on again early. After giving up a single run in the second, Swartz rolled off three scoreless innings taking a 1-1 tie into the sixth. Swartz was helped early by a pair of diving plays by Malott in left and Doering in center.
Tom McDowell singled in the fourth and advanced to second on an errant pick-off throw before scoring on a RBI double by Zach Reed to put Goshen on the board and tie the game at 1-1.
After Kinzer led Taylor's half of the sixth off with a double, Mark Springer came out the Maple Leaf bullpen in relief of Swartz. Three hits, an error, and a walk later and the Trojans had opened up a 5-1 lead, which they would not surrender. Goshen would get one run back in the seventh as Sean Sears doubled, Kraig Miller singles and Tronovich lifted a sacrifice fly to right.
Taylor 16, Goshen 0 (March 20 @ Upland) (Box Score)
Sophomore starter Aaron Coy got roughed up early and Taylor banged out 13 hits as they flew past the Maple Leafs in game one in Upland, Ind.
Ian Swartz picked up two of Goshen's four hits in the game as they never really got rolling.
Taylor 4, Goshen 1 (March 20 @ Upland) (Box Score)
Four second-inning runs for the Trojans were too much for the Maple Leafs to overcome as Taylor completed the season sweep.
In his first start of the season, sophomore Kraig Miller gave up eight hits, while striking out a pair over six innings of work. He also picked up the lone RBI for the Maple Leafs, while going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.
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Sophomore Kraig Miller