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APR.
16 — Leafs Narrowly Miss Out On AU Classic Title
Squad
hammers DePauw, falls to hosts and then loses heartbreaker
to Adrian |
Anderson, IN — It was the full
gamut of emotions for the Goshen College softball team at Saturday’s
Anderson University Classic, as the Leafs opened with a bang, suffered
a letdown in the middle, and then felt the heartbreak of letting
a one-run lead dissipate in the final inning of the day’s
final game, costing the team a win that would have given Goshen
the tournament championship.
“We have been playing much, much better softball in the past
few weeks, and are really starting to compete every time we step
on
the field,” said Marc Green, Goshen head coach. “I’m
proud of the way these girls have fought, and we hope to play our
best softball here toward the end of the season.”
Goshen (3-18, 1-10) played far and away its best overall game of
the year to open the AU Classic against DePauw University, pouncing
on the 18-14 Tigers by a 10-0 score with the five-inning, 10-run
rule coming into effect. The Leafs pounded out seven runs to open
the game in the first inning, and never looked back. Senior Rachel
Solmos (3-7) allowed just two hits in a dominant pitching performance,
while Goshen’s offensive stars were many: Sophomore Stacie
Scott and freshman Erin Layman each contributed three RBI, while
seniors Tara Haynes and Megan Morris each drove in a run. Freshman
Brandie Dalton also put up an RBI, while classmate Erica Weaver
landed a double.
“Rachel was really good in the circle and we really got some
confidence going at the plate against DePauw,” Green said. “They
had the best win-loss record at the tournament, so for us to open
with that kind of play really said a lot about our effort.”
Things didn’t go quite as well against the host Ravens in
the second contest, however, as Layman (0-3) had her difficulties
pitching. Anderson was able to churn out 14 hits against the Leafs
in the 14-6 win, ending a 12-game losing skid of its own in the
process. Layman and Haynes each knocked in two runs for Goshen — Weaver
again doubled and provided an RBI — but it simply wasn’t
enough to offset Anderson’s hitting prowess.
“We got kind of roughed up against Anderson, but I was pleased
with how we came out against Adrian in the final game of the afternoon,” Green
said. “We competed all the way down to the final out, and
just couldn’t get it done.”
Solmos was again brilliant in the pitching circle for the Leafs
against the Bulldogs, allowing seven hits and no earned runs in
the dramatic concluding game to the day-long tournament.
Leading by a 3-2 count in the bottom of the seventh inning, Goshen
had retired two batters and looked — by virtue of the tie-breaking
procedure — to have the tournament championship all but locked
up. Sadly, a fly ball to the outfield was misjudged by the Leafs,
allowing two runs to score and give Adrian the tournament title
in incredible fashion.
Layman again came up large at the plate, knocking in two of Goshen’s
three scores. Senior Alissa Kostyk also drove in a run, while Haynes
drilled a pair of doubles in the heartbreaking loss. For the day,
Layman was 8-11 from the plate with seven RBI. Solmos pitched 12
full innings of work on the afternoon, giving up no earned runs.
Adrian won the four-team tournament with a record of 3-0. Had Goshen
held on to defeat the Bulldogs, the Leafs would have won the tournament
based on head to head records (both Goshen and Adrian would have
then finished with a 2-1 record). Instead, the Leafs slid to third
place with a 1-2 mark on the afternoon. Anderson was 1-1 while
DePauw finished 0-2.
Goshen will now take a week away from the field to complete final
examinations, and will return to Mid-Central Conference competition
next Monday, when the team will travel to Spring Arbor University.
Game time for the first of two is set for 3 p.m. The Leafs were
scheduled to host Taylor University Saturday afternoon at the Goshen
College Softball Complex, but the weekend's cold and wet forecast
postponed those contests. Rescheduled date and time information
for that double-header with the Trojans will be made available
as it
becomes
known.
|
Game 1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Goshen |
7 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
14 |
0 |
|
DePauw |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Game 2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Goshen |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
8 |
7 |
|
Anderson |
1 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
14 |
14 |
3 |
|
Game 3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Goshen |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
|
Adrian |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
0 |
|
  Senior
Tara Haynes
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