The Goshen Eagles had a big performance on the mound by first time varsity starter Alexis McLendon during their 12-6 win over Zion Chapel on Thursday night in Goshen.

The win for the Eagles gives them a 2-0 start to the season.

McLendon pitched 4.1 innings in the win and allowed four runs and eight hits. Hannah Calhoun came in and pitched the remainder of the game. She allowed two runs, but struck out six batters.

“It was a great game,” said head coach Amy Warrick. “Lexi started it off and we got some good innings out of (her). First time since she has pitched at the varsity level so that is what we needed her to do and help Hannah out. I thought they hit the ball pretty well and played pretty well defensively. We are still seeing things that we need to work on, but I was pleased.”

The Rebels jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead when Willow Johnson hit a two-run homerun.

The Eagles responded right away in the bottom of the first inning. Both Calhoun and Megan Tillery came around to score on a pair of wild pitches to even things up at 2. Later in the inning Kate Warrick came around to score on a groundout by Madison Campbell and Lydia Harrison drove in Brooke Bennett on sacrifice fly to right field to give the Eagles the 4-2 lead heading into the second inning.

After a sacrifice fly brought the Rebels to within one at 4-3, Jaylan Baker drove in a run with a single to even the game back up at four in the top of the second.

The Eagles broke the game open in the bottom of the third when they scored five runs on six hits to take a 9-4 lead. Campbell doubled in Warrick to give the Eagles the 5-4 lead. Harrison hit a two-run single to left to drive in Bennett and Campbell to bring the score to 7-4. McLendon drove in two more with a single scoring Avery Henderson and Harrison making it 9-4.

The Eagles added to their lead in the fourth with an RBI single by Harrison and then again in the fifth on a groundout by Bennett scoring Tillery giving the Eagles an 11-4 lead heading to the sixth.

The Rebels scored their final two runs in the sixth on a fielder’s choice and a double by Ivey Amlong to bring the score to 11-6.

The Eagles scored their final run in the sixth when Calhoun singled in Harrison to close out the scoring at 12-6.