Goodrich’s varsity baseball team came from behind in an April 24 game and remained undefeated in Genesee Area Conference play.
The Martians defeated visiting Bentley 6-5 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader to improve to 8-2 overall and 5-0 in the GAC. The second game was called after four innings with Goodrich leading 10-9.
In the bottom of the seventh inning with one out and Bentley ahead 5-4, Dusty Bourassa walked and stole second. Ty Purdy then drove in Bourassa with the game-tying run, then Caleb Jones then came to the plate and drove in the winning run with an RBI single, scoring Purdy from second.
Jones came in to pitch in the sixth inning in relief of starter Tom Holton, and picked up the win. He also led the Martians with three hits.
The Martians fell just short of winning their own invitational Saturday, April 22, losing the championship game 7-6 to Oxford. The Wildcats scored the winning run on a suicide squeeze bunt in the top of the seventh inning.
‘They made the plays in key situations and we didn’t, that was the difference,? Goodrich coach Bob Foreback said.
Goodrich scored four runs in the first inning against the Wildcats, taking early command of the game. Oxford hurt their own cause with four walks and a hit batter in the inning.
Oxford scored a run in the second inning, but Goodrich answered with one in the third inning. The two teams then again traded runs, leaving the Martians ahead 6-2 at the end of five innings.
However, the Wildcats then scored three runs in the sixth inning and two in the seventh, including the game-winner.
Earlier, the Martians had defeated Ovid-Elsie 5-1, while the Wildcats advanced with a 16-2 win against Swartz Creek.
The Martians started quickly in the first game against Ovid-Elsie. After Jake Bourassa led off the first inning with a single, Wes Coleman drove him in with an RBI triple. Rivera then hit a two-run homer to put the Martians up 3-0.
Goodrich tacked on two more runs in the third inning, while Ovid-Elsie scored their lone run of the game in the sixth inning.
Rivera was the game’s winning pitcher, striking out seven in four innings of work while allowing one hit and one walk.