Goshen hasn't had much luck against Mishawaka recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The RedHawks will be playing in front of their home fans against the Cavemen at 5:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Goshen took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Warsaw as they made off with a 14-4 win. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the RedHawks as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Abi Blankenship made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. Blankenship was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season.
In other batting news, Goshen got a massive performance out of Rachel Aceves, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was Mia Crist, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Goshen always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .526. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Mishawaka had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Wednesday. Everything went their way against the Warriors as they made off with an 8-1 win.
Camila Rameriz spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Alexa Davis and Shea Crawford did most of the damage at the plate: Davis went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double, while Crawford got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs. Kal Steinman was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Goshen's victory bumped their record up to 3-4. As for Mishawaka, their win bumped their record up to 6-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Goshen has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Mishawaka struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Goshen might still be hurting after the 16-1 loss they got from Mishawaka when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the RedHawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
