Grace College catcher Britney Young tries to sweep tag Goshen’s Jolie Groeneveld Tuesday afternoon in the softball doubleheader at Grace. InkFreeNews photo by Mike Deak

Goshen Softball 8, Grace 5
Grace 9, Goshen 8

A wild comeback lifted Grace’s softball team to a split of Goshen on Tuesday.

After dropping the opener 8-5, Grace rallied to win 9-8 in the night cap. Goshen led 7-0 before Grace completed the comeback in the final inning.

A late rally came up short for Grace in the opening game. The Lady Lancers tried to come back with a pair of home runs, but the Maple Leafs held on for an 8-5 win.

Goshen struck first in the top of the third with three runs, and the Maple Leafs never trailed again.

Grace managed to pull back a run in the bottom of the third when Jeri Ellis doubled and later scored after a single from Jaden Cardoso.

The Maple Leafs added more runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to take a commanding lead, helping survive a late rally from Grace.

Jessica Kaurich homered in the bottom of the sixth, and Britney Young belted a three-run home run in the seventh to cut the deficit to 8-5. But with two runners on base, Grace struck out for the final out of the game.

Kaurich hit 3 for 4, and Cardoso batted 2 for 4.

The second game started poorly for Grace. The Maple Leafs erupted for seven runs in the first inning to put Grace in a massive hole.

The Lady Lancers made a dent in Goshen’s lead in the fourth inning. Laikyn Lowe started the two-out rally with a double. After a walk, Cassandra Hayes and Bethany Gardner hit back-to-back doubles. Ellis then singled in Gardner for Grace’s fourth run of the inning.

Goshen added an insurance run in the top of the fifth, but Grace was unfazed.

Lowe belted a two-run homer in the fifth inning to make the score 8-6, setting the stage for a dramatic seventh inning win.

Carly Ruiz drove in Grace’s seventh run with a one-out double. The next two batters walked, and then Madison Bremer was hit by a pitch to tie the game 8-8.

On the next at-bat, Goshen threw a wild pitch which allowed Lowe to slide home safely from third base and complete the walkoff win.

Lowe finished the game 2 for 3 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Gardner batted 2 for 3 with a run and a run driven in.

Young and Ruiz each recorded two hits.

Alexis Bergman impressed from the mound. The freshman took over in the second inning and allowed just one run to score over the final six frames.

The Lady Lancers are home again on Saturday, hosting St. Francis for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.