Leafs end break on high note

The Goshen College baseball team headed for warmer temperatures over spring break as the Leafs traveled to Georgia and Kentucky, winning the last six games of the trip after dropping the first three.

The Leafs’ offense got past early season struggles as Goshen struck for 50 runs over the course of the final six games after scoring 29 in their first nine games of the season.

After falling to Reinhardt University 8-6 on Saturday and losing a pair against Cleary University on Sunday, the Leafs turned things around with back-to-back victories over Toccoa Falls College on Monday. Goshen then traveled to Berea, Kentucky for a four-game set against Berea College this past weekend, where the Leafs swept the pair of doubleheaders to claim a six-game winning streak and wrap up the trip.

After winning each of Saturday’s games by one run, Goshen would outscore Berea 33-12 over the course of Sunday’s contests.

Michael Walker, a senior, won a team-high two games on the trip with Brad Lantz, a senior, Braedon Evans, a first-year, Blake Collins, a senior, and Travis Grimm, a junior, each recording a win apiece.

Goshen got strong pitching down the stretch in both of the Saturday matchups with Berea, with Evans throwing nine full innings for the win in game one.

On offense, the Leafs were led by Preston Carr, a senior, and Clinton Stroble, a sophomore, who tied for the team-lead with nine runs batted in, with Stroble driving in six in the final game against Berea.

Vincent Caschera, a senior, was next on the RBI list with seven as Ryan Hartig, a junior, and Colby Malson, a first-year, drove in six runs apiece and Brad Stoltzfus, a junior, added five RBIs.

Goshen’s six game win-streak brings the Leafs’ record to 7-8 on the season after starting 0-5.

Goshen was originally scheduled to host Cleary University for a three-game set over the weekend. but predicted weather issues have changed that to a doubleheader on Thursday, Mar. 9, which will see the Leafs on their home turf for the first time this season. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.