The Goshen College baseball team kicked off their season this past weekend with a four game set against Pikeville University in Pikeville, Kentucky. The Leafs were swept by the hosting Bears in a pair of doubleheaders played Saturday and Sunday.
The Leafs’ offense improved as the trip went on, but Pikeville seemed to have a big inning waiting. As soon as Goshen appeared to grab some momentum, the Bears were able to put together 11 multiple run innings across the weekend. Goshen dropped Saturday’s games 10-1 and 5-1 and then 13-4 and 13-7 on Sunday.Vincent Caschera, a senior, and Ryan Hartig, a junior, led Goshen with six hits and three RBIs apiece throughout the weekend with Caschera posting a team-high .500 batting average. Preston Carr, a senior, Clinton Stroble II, a sophomore, and Quinlan Armstrong, a first-year, each added two RBIs of their own.
Carr also collected Goshen’s lone home run of the weekend and tied for the time lead in runs scored with three. Colby Malson, a first-year, and Cody McCoy, a junior, also crossed home plate three times each.
Goshen had 10 players make an appearance on the mound who combined for 11 strikeouts across the two days. Braedon Evans, a first-year, totaled a team-high four strikeouts with Spenser Triplett, a first-year, recording three and Colton Daniel, a first-year, and Travis Grimm, a junior, each adding two apiece.
Evans also led the Leafs in innings pitched with six full innings of work. Evans, Triplett, Grimm and Blake Collins, a senior, were Goshen’s starting pitchers over the weekend.
The Leafs traveled to Palos Heights, Illinois on Wednesday to play a doubleheader against Trinity Christian College but the games finished after print deadline. Goshen will be back in action on Saturday when they will play Reinhart University in Waleska, Georgia.
