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MAR.
16 — Leafs Run Into Powerhouse To Open Season
Olivet
Nazarene shows collective strength in 16-0 win over Leafs |
Bourbonnais, IL — First-year
Goshen head coach Linda Bontrager knew her limited roster and subsequently
abbreviated pre-season would put her team in a catch-up mode from
the season’s outset.
Thursday afternoon at Olivet Nazarene University, Goshen found
out just how much catching up there is to do.
The host Tigers scored 13 of its 16 total runs in the first three
innings of play against the Leafs, limiting Bontrager’s team
to just one hit on the afternoon en route to a 16-0, five-inning
win. A supposed double-header was cut to one game due to the frigid
conditions, as temperatures hovered in the upper 30's for most
of the afternoon.
“We knew we would have to play very well to have a chance
to win any given game, and today we just couldn’t match Olivet’s
play in any area,” Bontrager said. “They had very tough
hitting and fast pitching. Our goal now is to work on advancing
runners. We are confident we will work hard and improve.”
Olivet picked up just 10 hits off of sophomore Haly Williamson
(0-1), but three errors from Goshen (0-1, 0-0) helped the Tigers
score three unearned runs. Bontrager pulled Williamson in the third
inning in favor of freshman Kim Yeakey, but the damage had been
done. Williamson gave up just five hits while striking out one.
Six of Olivet Nazarene’s nine runs scored on Williamson were
earned. Yeakey arrived in the pitching circle to give up five hits
as well, though the Tigers posted seven runs — all earned — in
their final two trips to the plate.
While Olivet Nazarene continued to put runs on the board, the Leafs
found the goings difficult in their turns at the plate, recording
just one hit on the day. A single by sophomore Tera Brackman broke
up a no-hitter by Olivet’s Lauren Chessum. Brackman’s
hit came in the third inning.
Despite the impressive performance by Chessum in the pitching circle,
Goshen did have a chance to push a run or two across immediately
after Brackman’s single.
Sophomore Erin Layman was able to
induce a walk prior to Brackman’s at bat, but freshman sensation
Amy Clem could not come up with a key hit with two base runners
aboard. Chessum issued another walk following Clem’s strikeout — this
one to Yeakey — but sophomore Haly Williamson duplicated
Clem’s performance, striking out to end the side.
On the afternoon, Goshen left nine base runners on base, while
Olivet Nazarene stranded just six.
Goshen will have a week to shake off the lumps when it opens Mid-Central
Conference play, as the squad will travel to Grace College next
Thursday. Game One of the double-header is slated to begin at 3
p.m.
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
R |
H |
E |
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Goshen |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
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ONU |
4 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
- |
16 |
10 |
0 |
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  Sophomore
Tera Brackman
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