Grace College catcher Kati Gregory makes contact against Goshen Saturday afternoon. (Photo provided by the Grace College Sports Information Department)

WINONA LAKE – Grace College’s softball team took down Goshen College 6-3 and 8-6 on Saturday in a doubleheader.

The Lady Lancers (21-16, 14-10 Crossroads League) improved to 8-3 over their last 11 games with the sweep at Miller Field.

Goshen (2-30, 2-19 CL) jumped out to an early lead in the opening game, striking a two-run home run in the first inning. Clarissa Knight cut the Maple Leafs’ lead in half in the bottom of the inning. After Knight singled and stole second base, Chandler Elliott doubled to right field with two outs to drive her in.

Grace had another two-out double in the second inning off the bat of Hannah Herbster, plating Brittany Melzoni to tie the game. Knight put the Lady Lancers ahead in the third inning with her second run of the game.

The Lady Lancers added another run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to take a comfortable 6-2 lead. Knight notched her third hit of the game with two outs in the sixth, driving in Melzoni and Brooke Shell with a double.

Goshen threatened in the seventh, scoring one run and loading the bases with two outs, but Elliott got the final batter to fly out to center field. Elliott tossed the complete game from the mound, allowing nine hits with three strikeouts.

Knight led Grace’s offense with a 3-for-3 performance, doubling twice, scoring twice, driving in two runs and stealing a base. Melzoni plated three times and had a steal, and Kati Gregory batted 2-for-3.

In the second game, Grace’s offense was balanced. Eight different Lady Lancers had hits, and Grace scored in five of the six innings it batted.

Goshen plated a run in the top of the first, but Grace tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Elliott launched a two-out double to plate Knight from first base.

In the second inning, Grace had another two-out rally. With Alex Shipley on base, Herbster and Shell had back-to-back hits to give Grace a 2-1 lead. Grace did not trail again.

Grace continued its two-out offense, scoring four runs over the third and fourth innings with two outs against them. Ashley Kleinbub launched a two-run single with two outs in the fourth to put the Lady Lancers ahead 6-3.

Herbster had an RBI single in the fifth inning, and Maribeth Strong’s sacrifice fly drove in Brittany Turner to give Grace an 8-3 advantage.

The Maple Leafs made a valiant run in their final at-bats in the seventh inning. Goshen managed to score three runs off four hits to pull within two, but Allison Franklin struck out the final two batters from the mound to secure Grace’s sweep.

Turner and Herbster were each 2-for-3, and Turner had a double and a stolen base. Kleinbub had two hits and two RBIs, and Shell was 2-for-4. Shipley and Knight scored twice, and Elliott drove in two runs.

The Lady Lancers play another home doubleheader on Tuesday, hosting Bethel at 3 p.m. at Miller Field.