PATRICK BRYAN

The Goshen Lady Eagles used plate discipline and solid pitching to make quick work of Greenville last night at home, beating the Tigers 9-4.

Greenville starter Nicole Norton walked the first two batters in the home half of the first.

The Eagles used the free passes, a couple of wild pitches and a timely double from Rachel Senn to score three quick runs.

“It was good to come out and capitalize when they were struggling,” said Dee Hughes, Goshen head coach.

In the field, the Lady Eagles used the arm of pitcher Amanda Griggs to keep the Tigers at bay.

Griggs struck out five, walked two and gave up one unearned run through six innings of work.

Still down 3-0, the Lady Tigers threatened to score in the third.

With bases loaded and one out, Griggs got a Tiger to pop out to third base.

Griggs got out of the jam when Norton chased an outside changeup and popped out. The Tigers finally managed to score in the fourth, but not before Goshen put two more on the board in the home half of the third. After using a couple of bunts to advance a walked batter, Greenville scored on an overthrow to first.

The Tigers pushed the score to 5-1, but the Lady Eagles were quick to respond. Goshen chased Norton off of the pitcher’s plate when Nike Slater took ball four to load the bases.

Griggs helped herself out when she hit in Kristen Dease on an RBI single to left field. Senn then drove in Mary Jordan from third on a fielder’s choice to the second baseman. Alley Warrick hit a line-drive straight to second to end the inning.

The score remained 7-1 until Griggs scored on a two-out Senn single in the sixth. “Rachel Senn has been such a consistent hitter all season,” said Hughes.

Pinch hitter Caneisha Watley kept the two-out hit brigade going when she singled in Senn from third.

“Caneisha came up with a big hit for us,” said Amy Warrick, assistant coach.

Now up 9-1, Coach Hughes called on Warrick to the pitcher’s plate to secure the victory.

Warrick struck out the side, but not before the Tigers scored three runs off of a sleuth of Goshen errors.

“For the first time this year I tried to change the tempo with the pitcher,” said Hughes. “I thought an eight run lead would be a good time. The girls just put a little added pressure on themselves,” she added.

Abbey Blackmon and Kairee Newton led Greenville with two hits apiece.

Griggs and Senn also recorded two hits apiece to lead Goshen batters.