Goshen bats come alive late in wild 17-10 win

Nearly every time Goshen and Zion Chapel get together, the two teams bring out the best in one another.

However on Monday, the two teams combined for nine errors in a wild 17-10 win for the Lady Eagles.

While errors were the story of the day, Goshen took the lead late on perfect hit.

With two on and no one out in the bottom of the fifth, Goshen’s Katie Thomas gave her team the lead for good on an off-the-wall double to left field. Carmen Kelly and Fran Warrick scored to give Goshen a lead that Zion Chapel was never able to overcome.

In total in the inning, Goshen would pile on five runs on just two hits to get breathing room over the Lady Rebels.

Goshen tacked on three more insurance runs in the sixth before closing out the Lady Rebels in order in the seventh to end the wild affair.

“Neither team played their best game today,” said Goshen coach Amy Warrick. “We can both play much better than we did today. I am just happy that we came out on the fun end of this one. We have to go back to work to sure up some things, but it is good to win any area game.”

Zion Chapel struck first, scoring five runs in the top of the second. Billie Copeland drove in two for the Lady Rebels on frozen-rope double to center field.

But Goshen would answer the Zion five spot with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Every time Zion Chapel made a rally, Goshen would answer again.

Over the last three innings of the game, the Lady Eagles outscored Zion Chapel 14-5.

Included in those 14 runs were a six-run fourth inning, the big five-run fifth and a three-run sixth.

“I don’t really know what to say,” said Zion Chapel head coach Chelsi Jones. “This is not my team, and this is not how we play. We have some serious work to do to play better than we did today. We have Elba on Thursday, and have to hope some things go right for us in the area. But I do know this team won’t quit.”

Goshen pitcher Lizzy Galloway went the distance in the circle, and gave up eight hits and struck out four batters.

“Lizzy got a little flustered out there, but in the end she calmed down and got the job done,” said Warrick. “I am really proud of her, and all the rest of the girls.”

Shelby Sorrells took the lost, throwing four innings. She gave up seven hits, walked seven batters and struck out just one.

Warrick, Thomas, Kelly and Haley Hughes each picked up two hits for the Lady Eagles, and combined to knock in 8 RBIs.

Thomas also scored four runs.

Haleigh Dewberry went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Lady Rebels.

Goshen travels Elba on Tuesday, while Zion Chapel will host the Lady Tigers on Thursday.