Batch if/else statements

I currently am writing a batch script to create, edit, and delete journal entries for an internship im currently working on, I dont seem to understand how to get my if/else statements to work, this is my first time using batch, most of the coding I have done has either been in Linux or Python, so maybe Im just making a dumb mistake

:edit
echo Welcome to the editing menu!
echo To edit a journal entry, enter the date of the journal below in a MM-DD-YYYY format! (I.E. 05-8-1982)
powershell sleep 3
set /p filename2=What is the date of the entry you are looking for?
echo Searching for file now... 
powershell sleep 1
if EXIST ""%filename2%".txt" G:\Batch\JournalEntries\*
(
start "%filename2%.txt"
)
ELSE (
ECHO not found