BASEBALL

The HU baseball team split with Mount Vernon Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field, dropping game one 5-0 and then ending the series and regular season with a convincing 7-0 victory over the top-seeded hosts.

The opener was all Mount Vernon. Not only did the hosts score quickly to take and own a lead throughout, but the Cougar pitching staff was also extremely stingy in allowing four hits over the course of the nine-inning shutout. Daniel Lichty accounted for two as the Forester offense couldn’t get going as evidenced by stranding just six baserunners on the day.

Noah Arbuckle took the loss for HU by giving up seven hits, four runs and three walks.

Huntington got things figured out in the nightcap to return the favor by blanking MVNU. It’s only the second time this season the Cougars have been held scoreless.

Max Meisner was sensational on the mound to claim the complete-game shutout. The sophomore southpaw scattered just three hits and issued three walks while striking out two.

The Foresters did all their offensive damage in the fourth and sixth frames with Matt Wolff their main catalyst. After Ian McCutcheon and Langston Ginder each pounded out singles and Satchell Wilson was hit by a pitch, the junior transfer unloaded for a grand slam in the fourth for an instant 4-0 lead.

Two frames later, the same four were at it again by piecing together four consecutive hits which included RBI-singles by Ginder and Wolff after which Wilson tagged up on Jarret Gray’s sac fly.

Wolff finished with two hits and five RBI. Ginder added two hits and an RBI while McCutcheon also posted a pair of base pokes.

The split wraps up the regular season with the Foresters finishing fourth in the league standings. They will face 5th-seeded Bethel in first round action of the Crossroads League Tournament on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The tourney will be hosted at Taylor.