GOSHEN - 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.

Softball Concludes Season Series With Taylor

WINONA LAKE - Grace College’s softball team wrapped up its 2023 season series with the Taylor Trojans on Tuesday afternoon.

The Lancers (9-24, 8-20 Crossroads League) struggled to find offensive consistency, dropping game one 5-0 and game two 7-1.

Despite falling short in both games, Grace continues to hold a narrow advantage of St. Francis for the final spot in the Crossroads League Tournament. The Lancers and Cougars are scheduled to play each other next Tuesday.

In game one both teams got two runners safely aboard in the first innings but were unable to push across the game’s first score.

Abbie Rymers had the lone hit in the second inning but the Trojans’ (18-20, 10-14 CL) defense stiffened to hold the game scoreless entering the third.

In the top-half of the third frame, Taylor used a two-out rally to plate the first runs of the opening game and claimed a 2-0 lead.

Grace’s offense was stymied through the middle innings and Taylor would double their lead in the sixth inning as their lead reached 4-0.

Cassie Hayes and Tia O’Connor both got onboard in the bottom of the sixth with no outs, but again the Trojans escaped unscathed after a groundout and a line-drive that turned into an unfortunate double play against the Lancers retired the side.

Grace was unable to threaten in the seventh inning, dropping game one 5-0.

Hayes had a perfect showing at the plate, going 3-3 in her at-bats. Jeri Ellis got the start and struck out three batters.

In game two, Taylor drew first blood in the top of the first frame. The Trojans used a pair of doubles to claim a 1-0.

Taylor Hodgen started Grace off by earning a leadoff walk, but despite working her to third base, the Lancers were unable to push her across for the score.

Grace got their leadoff batter on base again in the second inning. This time the honors went to Carly Ruiz who reached on a double to right-center field. She would be joined on base by Rymers who reached via a walk, but Grace was again denied a score by Taylor’s stingy defense.

The Trojans advantage reached four before Grace crossed their first run in the bottom half of the third inning.

For the third consecutive inning Grace’s leadoff hitter got onboard when Laikyn Lowe singled to start the third. Lowes' hit was followed by two consecutive outs that threatened to keep Grace scoreless.

It would be Hayes whose hit broke the seal for Grace as her double into center field scored Lowe to pull the Lancers within 4-1.

Unfortunately for Grace, they were unable to get any closer as Taylor added a run in in the fifth and two more in the seventh to lay claim to the 7-1 one victory.

Hayes added another hit in game two, to bring her hit total to four for the afternoon, while also adding an RBI. Kierstin Fickas pitched three and a third innings in relief and recorded two strikeouts.

Grace will be back in action on Friday as they travel to Huntington, before returning home on Saturday to take on Goshen as part of the Lancers Senior Day. The Lancers Will honor; Ellis, Lowe, Ruiz and Ashley Beckler during the Senior Day ceremony.

Men’s Golf Shows Consistency At Ackerman-Allen

WEST LAFAYETTE - Grace’s men’s golf team put together a pair of solid rounds on Tuesday.

The Lancers competed at the Ackerman-Allen Shootout on Purdue’s course. Grace finished fifth out of 11 squads after producing two identical rounds of 305.

Parker Wilburn placed sixth out of 63 competitors. After shooting 78 in the morning round, Wilburn ripped off a round of 69 to close out the tournament; it was tied for the best second-round score in the field.

The next four golfers for Grace finished within four strokes of each other. Parker Kelly’s 75-80 was second on the team.

Isaac Embry (73-83) had Grace’s lowest score in the first round, and Blake Lawson had the most consistent hand with a scorecard of 79-78. Chase Byron improved his total between the rounds (81-78), and Tristen Dubbs also participated as an individual scorer.

The Lancers will not have to wait long to play again. Grace will play at its home course on Wednesday for the Battle at the Henge, beginning at 1 p.m.