The Goshen Leafs won the day's opening game 3-0 before falling 16-3 in game two. The opener saw Goshen (13-9, 4-1 Crossroads League) take an early lead on a two-run home run from Badger Alumni Vincent Caschera in the first inning. Spring Arbor (8-13, 1-1) was unable to muster any offense as the Leafs tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.
Colby Malson got the start for the Leafs and pitched 6 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 5 Cougars. Caschera led Goshen's offense with 2 of the Leafs' 3 RBIs while Cody McCoy drove in the team's third run.
By Seth Wesman
Sports Information Intern
GOSHEN, Ind. — The Goshen College baseball team extended its winning streak to 12 games before seeing it come to an abrupt end on Tuesday in an afternoon doubleheader with Spring Arbor University. The Leafs won the day's opening game 3-0 before falling 16-3 in game two.
The opener saw Goshen (13-9, 4-1 Crossroads League) take an early lead on a two-run home run from Vincent Caschera in the first inning. Spring Arbor (8-13, 1-1) was unable to muster any offense as the Leafs tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.
Colby Malson got the start for the Leafs and pitched 6 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 5 Cougars. Caschera led Goshen's offense with 2 of the Leafs' 3 RBIs while Cody McCoy drove in the team's third run.
Caschera, Preston Carr and Quinlan Armstrong each scored a run apiece for the Leafs. McCoy and Ryan Hartig each collected a team-high 2 hits on identical 2 for 2 performances at the plate.
Spring Arbor's Duncan Patterson went the distance on the mound for the Cougars, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits with 4 strikeouts. Tyler Reed and James Hall each had 2 of Spring Arbor's 5 hits.
While field conditions at SAU's Burbridge Field caused the games to be moved to Goshen in a geographical sense, the Cougars remained the home team for purposes of conference scheduling. This allowed Goshen to strike for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning in game two, but the Cougars pounced for 7 runs within the first two innings.
Spring Arbor continued the offensive outburst with 6 runs in the fourth and 3 more in the sixth. The Leafs were able to get a run back in the fifth inning but Spring Arbor took the contest 16-3. Goshen committed 4 errors and left 11 runners on base in the loss.
Brad Lantz, Kyle Kotecki and Colton Daniel all threw in the nightcap for GC. Hartig, Armstrong and Clinton Stroble II drove in runs with Brad Stoltzfusscoring twice and Connor Clemens crossing home plate once. Hartig, Armstrong, Stroble, Carr and Caschera each recorded hits.
Andrew Manier was the winning pitcher for the Cougars, throwing 5 innings and allowing a single earned run among 3 runs total on 5 hits with 6 punchouts. Nick Carroll pitched the final 2 innings in relief, striking out 4.
Ondina led the Cougar attack with 3 RBIs, as Jack Driscoll, Kyle Harris and Conner Lengerich all knocking in 2 runs each. Holley and Chris Triplett tied for the team-high in runs scored with 3.
Goshen will be back in action Wednesday afternoon, hosting Calumet College of St. Joseph in a doubleheader rescheduled from March 19. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 3 p.m.