WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace's softball team secured a sweep of Goshen on Saturday at Miller Athletic Complex.
The Lady Lancers (11-12, 4-4 Crossroads League) held Goshen to two runs in the doubleheader, winning 7-0 and 3-2.
In the opening game, Chandler Elliott's one-hitter from the mound befuddled the Maple Leafs (7-9, 4-6 CL).
Elliott held Goshen to just one hit which occurred in the fifth inning. The only other baserunners the Maple Leafs could manage came from a fielding error and two walks. Elliott needed 86 pitches for the complete-game gem, striking out four batters in a sparkling performance.
At the plate, Grace generated baserunners in almost every inning. In the second inning, Michaela Lee executed a perfect squeeze bunt to score Hannah Upchurch, and a ground ball from Hannah Herbster brought in Emily Bobb to give Grace a 2-0 lead.
The Lady Lancers doubled their lead in the third. Chandler Elliott doubled, and Ashley Kleinbub's single moved her to third. Kati Gregory then had an RBI single, and Bobb later singled down the left field line to bring in Kleinbub.
In the bottom of the sixth, Elliott had another squeeze bunt to plate a run, and Kleinbub and Gregory had back-to-back RBI singles to give Grace a 7-0 cushion. The Lady Lancers had a chance to end the game early but were unable to push across an eighth run.
Elliott took care of the rest from the mound, getting Goshen to retire on three straight weak hits.
Gregory was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Herbster batted 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and Kleinbub hit 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. For the game, Grace outhit Goshen 11-1.
The second game was a defensive battle; the teams combined for 11 hits.
Grace scored first in the bottom of the second and added another in the third. The Lady Lancers loaded up the bases in the second inning and scored a run after Olivia Scarbrough drew a walk.
In the third inning, Abby Mozingo plated on a ground ball after some smart baserunning to give Grace a 2-0 advantage.
Goshen pulled a run back in the top of the fourth, but Grace came back with a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the fifth. Herbster singled and eventually scored on a hit to the outfield by Clarissa Knight.
The Maple Leafs plated a run in the top of the sixth and had the game-tying run on third base before Erin Lawhon got the final batter to fly out.
In the top of the seventh, Lee caught two pop ups and the final Goshen batter flew out to Bobb to end the contest.
Lawhon and Hannah England combined on the mound to get the win. Bobb batted 2-for-3, and Kleinbub recorded a hit, a steal and a run.
Next up, the Lady Lancers will travel to face Bethel on Monday for a doubleheader. Grace will return home on Tuesday for a pair of games against Indiana Wesleyan starting at 3 p.m.
