Lancers run away with series finale
GOSHEN, Ind. – Grace’s baseball team plated 20 runs to bounce back and earn a series split with Goshen on Tuesday afternoon. The doubleheader was moved back a day because of inclement weather. The season series with the Maple Leafs ended with each team taking two games.
Goshen (9-29, 5-21 CL) squeaked out a one-run victory to win the opener 11-10 on a chilly, yet sunny afternoon.
The Lancers (17-20, 9-17 CL) put up a five-run first inning to push ahead with the early advantage. The visitors took advantage of early control issues for the Maple Leaf starter. Four consecutive batters reached base by walk or hit by pitch to start the game.
Then a bases-clearing single from Sean Gannon put Grace ahead 3-0. An RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly capped the scoring in the first.
A two-run home run off the bat of Grant Hartley increased the lead to six in the third after Goshen pushed a run across the previous inning.
The Maple Leafs stormed back in the bottom of the fourth with an eight-run inning to seize control of the game 9-7.
Goshen plated two insurance runs in the fifth, which would prove to be the necessary as Grace scored three runs to draw within a run an inning later.
The sixth inning started with three consecutive extra-base hits to bring two runners around to score. John Joyce, Maximo De Leon and Jeff Pawlik each doubled and eventually scored to put the pressure on the home team.
Grace threatened to tie the game in its final two at-bats. In the eighth, the Maple Leafs were able to pitch their way out of bases loaded jam by getting a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. In the ninth, Josh Cosme lined a ball to the outfield and a perfect throw from the right fielder nabbed the speedy De Leon at the plate to preserve the one-run lead.
Evan Etchison got the nod to start on the mound. He pitched 3.0 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits in the no-decision. With five strikeouts on the day, Etchison moved into a tie at No. 2 on the all-time career strikeouts list.
Gannon had a four-hit game with 3 RBIs to pace the Lancers. Hartley, with his home run, added 3 RBIs in the game.
The series finale featured an onslaught of runs as Grace ran away with a 20-3 final scoreline. After two innings, the lead was 13 runs. Overall, the Lancers plated runs in 5 of 7 innings in the game.
Seven runs in the first and eight runs in the second broke the game open. Once again Grace took advantage of control issues with six batters reaching base via the free pass. Three RBI singles added to the scoring in the opening frame.
An inning later, more wild pitching benefitted the visitors with eight more walks allowed in the inning. Cosme finished off the crooked inning with a 2-RBI ground-rule double making the score 15-2.
De Leon added another stolen base to his impressive haul on the season and scored on the errant throw from the catcher in the third.
Two more runs crossed the plate in the fourth. Two doubles in the inning from Gavin Kelley and Cosme brought in one run and Joyce added an RBI single.
The score remained that way until the seventh when Grace added its final two runs of the game. Three singles and a throwing error allowed a run to score, and Austin Carr drove in the final run with an RBI groundout.
Steven Hernandez improved his record to 4-2 on the season, pitching 5.0 innings of three-run baseball. He scattered seven hits and three runs while collecting four strikeouts. Alec Hoeft made his second appearance of the season to close out the game with two scoreless innings of relief.
Lancer hitters combined for 16 hits in the game and benefitted from 17 free passes. Cosme clubbed three doubles to go along with 4 RBIs. De Leon was 3 for 5 with 3 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk and 1 stolen base. Twelve different players scored a run and nine hitters recorded at least one RBI.
Grace will continue its road trip on Thursday with a pair of games in Fort Wayne at Saint Francis. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.