GOSHEN, Ind. — The US Highway 20 Cup series between the Bethel Pilots (6-11, 1-6) and the Goshen Maple Leafs (7-11, 3-4) concluded on Monday with a high-scoring doubleheader, high winds blowing to the outfield, and a well-attended day.
GAME 1
Seth Ambrose, who went an incredible 4-for-5 at the plate, drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the second, but Goshen answered with two runs with an RBI triple and a fly out to the shallow outfield.
Jordan Landkrohn smacked a two-run homer to dead center, Thomas Dolan followed with an RBI single, and Elijah Gaines drove in Jesse Stout from third on a sacrifice fly to jolt the Pilot lead 5-2.
Jacob Sitterly scored Tolson in the fourth with a single to the shortstop in the gap, bringing the lead to 6-2. However, the Maple Leafs answered again in the bottom of the fourth with a crooked seven-run inning and re-took the lead, 9-6.
Cooper Tolson answered in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to center, and Goshen hit a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth.
Andrew Dillon chipped away in the top of the eighth by drawing a walk and scoring Stout, but Goshen put up three more runs at the bottom of the frame and won the game 13-8.
Ty Mickiewicz (1-2) pitched three innings, allowing two runs, walking two, and striking out one.
GAME 2
It was the highest-scoring game in the series history, with 29 combined runs scored, 34 total hits, and two Maple Leaf errors.
The game tied three times, including from an RBI double by Thomas Dolan in the second, followed by Cooper Tolson drawing a walk and scoring Dolan later in the inning. Elijah Gaines scored Dominic Deisler from a fielding error by the shortstop, and Ta’Shaun Coleman’s RBI doubled to grow the Pilot lead to 4-2, but Goshen erased the lead on two solo home runs.
Jacob Sitterly belted a three-run homer down the left field line in the top of the sixth, and Jesse Stout crushed a two-run homer not long after to tie the game 9-9.
The Maple Leafs had an enormous bottom of the sixth, with a 10-run inning fueled by a walked-in run, two different two RBI singles, two RBI doubles, a wild pitch, and an RBI double.
Peyton Ring (2-0) was given the loss after coming in to relieve Riley Thomas in the third inning. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two runs, two walks, and three strikeouts.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Pilots take on the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in the home opening four-game series from Friday, Mar. 15 to Saturday, Mar. 16. at 1 p.m. for the first pitch both days. Check out the games on the Bethel Sports Network in conjunction with the Regional Radio Sports Network, with the pregame show starting at 12:45 p.m.