PREP SOFTBALL: Northridge outlasts Goshen in NLC affair

May 3—GOSHEN — The Northridge softball team channeled its inner Forrest Gump Wednesday and just kept on running.

Taking advantage of their speed, the Raiders were able to steal four bases, advance on four Goshen wild pitches and take advantage of some other RedHawk miscues to beat Goshen, 12-8, in Northern Lakes Conference action at Shanklin Park.

It completed a season sweep for Northridge over Goshen. The Raiders won, 14-4, in the first matchup on April 17 in Middlebury.

"Speed does play a factor because we do have some really good runners and some speedy players," Northridge coach Ray Caples said. "To get runners on base, take the extra bases, steal bases; that does make a big difference. That definitely helps us."

The scoring started right away for Northridge (4-11, 3-4 NLC), as they scored five runs in the top of the first inning. The speed was on display from the start as well, as after freshman Rachel Humbarger drew a leadoff walk, she'd advance to second base on a passed ball, third base on a wild pitch from Goshen hurler Tyra Marcum and then score on another Marcum wild throw.

All of this happened while Rielyn Goodwin was still at the plate. The sophomore would then hit a single, subsequently steal second and third base during Tavia Bratt's at-bat, then score when Bratt ripped an RBI single to right field.

Grace Urbanski then singled to keep the line moving. Both Urbanski and Bratt moved up a base on another passed ball, then both scored when sophomore Addison Knisley drove them in with a two-RBI double.

A single by junior Felice Blasko followed, putting runners on the corners. After Marcum struck out the next two batters for the first two outs of the frame, the Raiders added its fifth run on an RBI single from freshman Mia Branam, which scored courtesy runner Jazmin Bell.

Goshen (7-7, 3-3 NLC) responded immediately. The first six batters in the bottom of the first inning all reached safely for the RedHawks, including five hits. Junior Emily Ramirez, junior Jenna Roll and sophomore Kaelyn Marcum provided the RBI singles, with the latter then leaving the bases loaded for Goshen with still no outs in the frame.

Knisley responded for the Raiders, however, striking out the next three batters to end the scoring threat.

The RedHawks then tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs and two runners on, Yoder and Kaelyn Marcum hit back-to-back RBI singles, scoring Tyra Marcum and Ramirez, respectively.

"It's a long ball game," Goshen coach Allen Hodge noted. "I'm very proud of how we responded in the first two and three innings."

Northridge then re-gained the lead in the fourth. With two outs and nobody on, Humbarger hit a double to center field. Two pitches later, she stole third base, putting her 60 feet away from scoring.

On a 2-0 count, a pitch from Tyra Marcum got away from Roll, allowing Humbarger to sprint home and give the Raiders a lead it would never relinquish.

The visitors added to the lead in the top of the fifth when Bratt uncorked a solo home run over the trees beyond the left field wall. Goshen responded in the bottom half of the frame with a run of its own, though, courtesy an RBI single from Tyra Marcum, driving in her younger sister.

Just like in the first, though, Goshen would leave the bases loaded in the fifth, as a Ramirez flyout in the next at-bat left three RedHawk runners stranded on the basepaths.

The Raiders' insurance runs came in the sixth inning, taking advantage of three Goshen errors in the frame. Much like how Humbarger did in the opening frame, Northridge junior Kloey Weidner drew a walk to start the inning. She then advanced to second base on a wild pitch, third base on another one and then scored when the throw to third to try and get her out rolled into left field.

Humbarger then had an RBI single, which scored Northridge senior Adele Zurek. Branam, who had reached on a fielding error earlier in the frame, then scored on an error to make it 10-6 at the time. The margin in the inning finished at 11-6 when Humbarger scored on an RBI single from Tavia Bratt.

The teams then traded runs the rest of the way. Goshen scored on an RBI groundout from Ryen Yoder in the bottom of the sixth, plating Roll. In the top of the seventh, Goodwin hit an RBI single that scored Branam.

Tyra Marcum's RBI double in the bottom of the seventh then made it a 12-8 game. After a Ramirez single, the Raiders intentionally walked Roll, loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate, Yoder, with two outs.

On the first pitch Yoder saw, she popped out to Weidner at second base, ending the game.

Afterwards, Caples talked about the three bases-loaded jams his team was able to get out of during the game.

"It was kind of strategic in getting (Knisley) to recognize that, yeah, the bases are loaded, but having her look at who we were facing and understanding where we were at in the lineup," Caples said. "We know that Goshen has a couple really good hitters that can really do some damage. ... Each time, (Knisley) re-focused on the hitter she knew she could take out."

It was another disappointing defeat for Goshen against Northridge. It's now 14-straight losses for the RedHawks against the Raiders, including the postseason. Goshen's last victory over the team from Middlebury came on April 17, 2017.

"I know we've got a mental block against the green and gold somewhere, and I can't figure out why," Hodge said. "This was a rough one. We got out-played in just about every aspect. It's hard to win ball games when that happens."

For Northridge, they're 4-4 in its last eight games after an abysmal 0-7 start. They look to keep its positive momentum going Friday against NorthWood at home.

"I think they've started to believe in themselves," said Caples of his team. "They've started to form an identity and form a little bond as a team, and they're starting to be selfless and playing for each other."

Austin Hough can be reached at austin.hough@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2360. Follow him on Twitter at @AustinHoughTGN.