SOFTBALL

The Huntington softball team upped their record to 4-2 with a pair of road wins over IU South Bend, 8-0, 4-1, Saturday afternoon at Potawatomi Field.

Pitching was on point for the Foresters. Meghan Fretz showed no mercy to her hosts, giving up just one hit and a walk through the first four frames of game one to notch the win. MacKyndsea Burke picked up where Fretz left off by allowing just one hit in the fifth to preserve the shutout.

The Foresters were equally impressive at the plate, touching home eight times on nine hits to make quick work of the Titans (0-7) in a shortened five-inning contest.

Jada Crofoot opened things up by knocking in her team’s first run in the third with a single down the left field line. Kaela Robey cranked out her fourth double of the season in the fourth to drive in run number two after which she scampered home on Kiera Stacy’s shot to center.

The fifth proved the dagger as HU scored five times, highlighted by Kennedy Krull’s two-run single, to take advantage of the mercy rule after holding IUSB scoreless in their half of the inning.

Crofoot finished with two hits and an RBI. Paige Eichelberger also posted two hits for Gower’s crew while Stacy and Krull each collected a base poke and two RBI.

Crofoot carried her hot bat into the nightcap where she racked up two more hits including a triple in the fourth that set up the go ahead run. It was a 1-1 stalemate when Crofoot kicked off the frame with her three-bagger after which Courtney Mason drew a walk and stole second to set the stage for Breanna Hines. The freshman designated hitter found a gap in right to drive in both her teammates to put HU up permanently at 3-1.

Hines added an insurance run in the sixth with her second RBI-single of the day while HU’s first run came by way of Darby Minor’s fielder’s choice in the third.  IUSB’s lone run of the series came in the bottom of the third.

A pair of rookies tag-teamed in the circle to secure the sweep over IUSB. Adelyn Harsh started things off to earn the win. In three innings of work, she surrendered two hits, one run and two walks while striking out two after which Mica Allen tossed four innings of scoreless relief to tally her first collegiate save.

Hines finished with two hits and three RBI to lead the Foresters offensively.

The Foresters are back at it on Monday when they host Judson at 3:00 p.m.