By Steve Krah
PBR Indiana Correspondent

Follow @PBRIndiana

TOPEKA — Back-and-forth baseball. 

That’s what the folks were treated to who came out to see Goshen plays Westview in a 10 a.m. start on Saturday, May 7. 

The lead traded hands several times in the non-conference game at Westview’s Warrior Field before Goshen (10-9) prevailed 7-5 over Westview (11-4). 

Sophomore Robbie Riegsecker and junior Charlie Collins drove in two runs apiece while junior Mike Pinarski had three hits for the victorious RedHawks. 

Senior right-handed reliever Conner Glick (4 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks) was the winning pitcher. 

“Conner Glick did an incredible job pumping the strike zone,” Goshen coach Josh Keister said. “He really set the tone in the seventh by getting ahead in counts and giving us a chance to have a clean inning. 

“The intent wasn’t to use Glick that long, but since he was doing so well we just went with him.” 

The RedHawks’ first two pitchers were sophomore right-hander Phil Wertz (2 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 1 strikeout, 1 walk) and sophomore right-hander Joey Peebles (1 inning, 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks). 

Freshman Nick Rensberger, making his first varsity start, knocked in two runs and scored two runs for the Warriors. 

Westview junior right-hander Peyton Martin (1 inning, 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks) took the mound loss in relief. 

The Warriors started on the hill with junior right-hander Houston Haney  (5 innings, 5 runs, 7 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks) and finished with senior right-hander Jared Mullet (1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks). 

“The story of the game for us was our inability to stay ahead of batters,” Westview coach Jason Rahn said. “They had a lot of 2-0 counts.” 

The RedHawks produced the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. 

With two outs, Pinarski singled to center field and moved to third when senior James Paetkau reached on an error. A few moments later, Paetkau got into a rundown between first and second base. Before Paetkau was put out, Pinarski crossed the plate. 

“We’ve done that three or four times this year,” Keister said. “We’ve run it to perfection a handful of times. That was a great way to gain some momentum.” 

Westview scored one run in the bottom of the first inning. 

Haney led off with a single to center, stole second and third and scored the tying run when senior Derrike Johns (on by walk) was caught in a rundown between second and third. 

Goshen tallied one run in the top of the second inning to go up 2-1. 

Riegsecker opened the RedHawk second inning by pulling a home run — his third circuit clout of 2016 — over the right field fence. 

“We were 0-for-4 on what we call a shutdown inning,” Westview coach Jason Rahn said. “We get a lead and we don’t keep them from scoring. If we shut down half those innings, we win the game.” 

Westview pulled even at 2-2 with one run in the bottom of the second inning. 

Rensberger lashed a lead-off double to the fence in left-center, moved to second on senior Jeran Hoopingarner’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Mullet’s single to left. The ball went where the shortstop had vacated to cover second base on a potential steal. 

Westview assumed a 4-2 lead by plating two runs in the bottom of the third inning. 

With Peebles on in relief for Goshen, Rensberger blasted a two-run home run to left (it was his first varsity homer). Junior Todd Wisler had single to center and freshman courtesy runner Matt Jones scored on Rensberger’s homer. 

The RedHawks put up two runs in the top of the fourth inning to knot the game at 4-all. 

Paetkau reached base on an infield error and later scored on an outfield error. 

Goshen then loaded the bases and got another run on a third Westview error. Riegsecker had walked and pinch runner Taylor Glasgow, a junior, scored on the miscue. 

Goshen took a 5-4 advantage with one run in the top of the fifth inning. 

Pinarski led off with a single to right and pinch runner Austin Cain, a freshman, scored on Riegsecker’s single to left. 

“(Cain) got a really good read in a base hit and was able to score on a bang-bang play at the plate,” Keister said. “We always holler at our guys when they’re at second base to check the depth of the outfielders so they can get a good read and a good jump. At the time, that was a big run.” 

The Warriors kept the visitors from getting anymore with an inning-ending double play — pitcher Haney to shortstop Johns to senior first baseman Chase Anderson. 

Westview tied it at 5-5 with one run in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

With two outs, Anderson singled with a ball that trickled just to the right of the mound and was replaced by pinch runner Mason Jones, a sophomore. A wild pitch moved Jones to second. 

When Goshen missed a tag attempt on a fielder’s choice and made an error, Jones scored the tying run. 

The pendulum swing back in the RedHawks’ favor — 7 to 5 — with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. 

With Martin on in relief of Haney, Collins socked a two-run double to left, plating sophomore courtesy runner Will Koshmider (on after junior Chava Garcia was hit by a pitch) and senior Corbin Harrison (who doubled to left). 

The RedHawks threatened again in the top of the seventh inning. 

With Mullet on in relief for Westview, junior C.J. Detweiler singled to left and made it around to third base.  

The rally was squelched when Warriors first baseman Anderson drove for a popped up bunt by Glick to threw to third baseman Hoopingarner to double off the runner for an inning-ending double play. 

Goshen visits Elkhart Memorial and Bethany Christian goes to Westview, both Monday, May 9.