SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Indiana University South Bend softball team scored a combined 18 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Goshen College Wednesday, March 24, at Dick Pfeil Field and improved to 5-9 overall after winning its last three straight. IUSB cruised to a 5-1 victory in game one before collecting a come-from-behind 13-6 win in the night cap.
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Game One: IUSB 5, GC 1: The Titans overpowered the Maple Leafs in the opener, as senior starter
Becca Stevens was exceptional on the mound. The senior struck out a season-high seven and allowed just one hit over five innings of work. Freshman
Nichole VanZant tossed the final two frames while yielding one run off one hit to earn the save.
IU South Bend wasted no time in the first tilt, scoring three runs in the first as senior
Shelby Baker cracked a three-run triple. The Titans would go ahead and add one run in the second and third to take the five-run advantage before Goshen College added one back in the sixth off one hit and one error.
VanZant induced a game-ending ground out to wrap up the 5-1 Titan victory in the top of the seventh.
Seniors
Savanna Schmitz and
Kat Bessler both collected on a multi-hit game while Baker,
Olivia Zarantonello and
Emily Cave collected a hit. Baker led the way with a game-high three RBIs.
Game Two: IUSB 13, GC 6: Goshen College gathered the early lead after adding four runs in the first before a run in the second and third innings gave the Maple Leafs a 6-0 advantage.
IUSB wasted no time in the third, adding six in the bottom half inning. Junior catcher
Mackenzie Myars led the offense in the inning with a three-run bomb to right center field. Senior
Nicole Grazioli and junior
Kaylee Darnell piled it on with RBIs, as Grazioli reached on a fielder's choice to bring home one and Darnell drove two runs home to even the game.
The Titans took the lead and upped the score to 13-6 with seven runs on four hits and two errors in the fourth frame. Schmitz got things off with a single to center field before Myars drew a walk. Junior
Emily Anglin added two RBIs and gave IUSB the lead after driving home Schmitz and Myars on a right-field triple. Other Titans runs scored came from Anglin,
Brittany VanderBrink, Baker, Cave and Grazioli.
Goshen threatened in the fifth, putting two on with one out, but freshman
Macie Couch sent back-to-back batters down to maintain the lead. Couch and the rest of the Titan defense held the Maple Leafs scoreless in the final sixth and seventh innings to seal the third straight victory for IUSB.
Coming in for relief, Couch earned her first collegiate victory after throwing 4.0 innings that allowed just four hits while the freshman struck out three batters.
The Titans head to Mishawaka, Ind. for a doubleheader on Friday, March 26, before beginning Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play at home on Saturday, March 27. First pitch for the league twin bill is slated for 1 p.m. at Dick Pfeil Field.
