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APR.
22 — Squad Suffers Heartbreakers To Kalamazoo
Goshen
puts forth solid efforts but recoups 5-6 and 1-2 losses to
show for it |
Kalamazoo, MI — In a season where
offense has been hard to find and wins tough to come by, the Goshen
College softball team witnessed opportunity up close and personal
during Saturday’s double-header at Kalamazoo College.
Unfortunately for the Leafs, time ran out.
Twice.
Goshen (2-22, 2-16) put together valiant, come-from-behind efforts
in both contests against the Hornets, only to have a late surge
halted in Game One and a bottom-of-the-seventh rally from Kalamazoo
in Game Two thwart its efforts at wins, dropping a 5-6 and 1-2
decision in heartbreaking fashion.
“We gave a very good effort today, but our offense is still
lacking,” said
Linda Bontrager, Goshen head coach. “We manage several good
innings defensively but are unable to score enough runs to give
ourselves a gap.”
Bontrager’s team needed a late boost in the day’s first
contest to give itself a chance, as Kalamazoo put together a trio
of two-run innings to take a 6-1 lead through five innings of play.
That surge was halted by a one-run Goshen sixth inning and a three-run
top of the seventh, as the Leafs appeared to be headed for the
tying score in a 5-6 affair.
Sadly, Goshen could not push across the game-tying run before the
final out was recorded, ending the game with a comeback attempt
in progress.
Freshman Haly Williamson suffered the loss in the pitching circle,
going the distance. Sophomore Erin Layman provided the biggest
surge at the plate for the Leafs, sending a solo homerun out of
the ballpark in a 1-4 effort. Williamson helped her own pitching
cause with a double and an RBI in a 1-4 batting performance. Freshman
Amy Clem finished 1-3 with a double at the plate, while freshman
Dee Binde was 1-4.
Just moments after blasting her first home run of the season in
the day’s first contest, Layman showed dominance in the pitching
circle in the second game, allowing just six hits and striking
out three in a full-game performance. Kalamazoo was able to record
a run in the third inning of play, but a stout, errorless Goshen
defense kept the bleeding to a minimum.
A sixth-inning single from sophomore Faith Borrell drove in freshman
Kim Yeakey to tie the game, again giving the Leafs optimisim.
Again, however, Kalamazoo had an answer, scoring the game-winning
run in the bottom of the sixth to conclude a second Goshen comeback
just short of completion.
Borrel led a number of players with a 1-3 effort from the plate.
Clem, Yeakey and Brackman all posted the same numbers. Layman finished
1-4 from the plate.
“Defensively we can put together several good innings, but
we struggle offensively,” Bontrager said. “We are a
young and inexperienced team. Our team chemistry is good, though,
and that’s allowed
us to continue to improve despite our losses.”
Goshen will not have long to dwell on its near-misses, as the team
will travel to St. Mary’s College on Wednesday. The first
of two games is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.
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Game 1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
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Goshen |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
|
K'Zoo |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
- |
6 |
13 |
6 |
|
Game 2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Goshen |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
|
K'Zoo |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
- |
2 |
6 |
1 |
|
  Sophomore
Erin Layman
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