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APR.
15 — Bats Don't Come Through At St. Francis
Goshen
puts on strong defensive display but finds trouble offensively
in losses |
Fort Wayne, IN — Playing at the
University of St. Francis on the infamous date of April 15, the
Goshen College softball team found hitting to be an extremely taxing
procedure, dropping a pair of Mid-Central Conference games to the
host Cougars Saturday afternoon.
Goshen (2-20, 2-14) put forth a strong effort both defensively
and in the pitching circle, but could not come up with much offensive
production, generating just three total hits in 0-9 and 0-3 losses
to St. Francis. The defeats pushed the team’s current losing
streak to 19 consecutive games, though a hiatus is on the way:
The Leafs will take the next week off in correspondence with final
examinations and return for a trio of non-conference games the
following week. According to head coach Linda Bontrager, it may
be just what her team needs.
“We’re at a plateau right now that we need to get over,” Bontrager
said following Saturday’s losses. “Our bats have gone
to sleep. We are defensively competitive but are unable to do much
offensively. For that reason, our improvement overall as a team
hasn’t really shown up on our record.”
Goshen’s overall improvement was noted on the scoreboard
midway through Saturday’s first contest, however, as the
Leafs trailed by just a 3-0 score following four full innings of
play. A total two hits kept Bontrager’s team from making
much of a push, as St. Francis finally erupted for six scores in
the bottom of the fifth inning.
Sophomore Erin Layman got the starting nod in the pitching circle,
going four and two thirds innings before being removed in favor
of freshman Kim Yeakey. Layman was one of two players to record
a single, as senior Kris Polega reached base via a hit as well.
Both players finished 1-3 from the plate.
The Leafs’ defense was again solid in the day’s second
contest, as a one-run first-inning from the host Cougars would
be the team’s only score until the sixth inning. Freshman
Haly Williamson was brilliant pitching, striking out four and walking
just three while going the distance. Goshen again struggled mightily
to put baserunners aboard, collecting just one hit in seven innings
worth of at-bats. St. Francis eventually scored two more runs in
the sixth inning, giving the Cougars more than enough insurance
against a feeble Leafs’ offensive effort.
“We can’t win if we can’t hit,” Bontrager
said. “We
have done pretty well through the initial innings of games but
teams have begun to hit our pitchers late. With us not being able
to take advantage at the plate, we’re having a tough time.
We’ll take a week off to focus on academics and spend more
time in the cages. Hopefully we can find our offense soon.”
Goshen will have time to search, as the team will remain idle until
a non-league road contest with Kalamazoo College on Saturday, Apr.
22. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
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Game 1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Goshen |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
USF |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
9 |
9 |
0 |
|
Game 2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Goshen |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
USF |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
- |
3 |
4 |
1 |
|
  Freshman
Haly Williamson
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