SOFTBALL

The Huntington softball team swept IU South Bend Wednesday afternoon in their home opener with both games being cut short. After run-ruling the Titans in the fifth, 12-1, the Foresters outlasted the Titans in the nightcap 7-6 before the game was called in the sixth because of darkness.

The Foresters scored early and often in game one to eventually skunk the Titans. HU pounded out four hits in their opening at bat which included a Jess Duvall RBI-double. HU played a little small ball to find home three more times in the first by way of a wild pitch, double steal and ground out.

Huntington hammered out four more hits and took advantage of two Titan blunders to plate five more runs in the second. Bree Hines and Maddie Duvall highlighted the frame with RBI two-baggers that accounted for three runs. It was 9-0 after two innings.

IUSB scored their only run in the fourth, but HU countered by adding three more to their total in the bottom of the inning. With bases loaded, Nigella Reck took a pitch in the shoulder for HU’s first run of the frame and then Maddie Goheen creamed a shot to right to drive in two more.

It was a scoreless fifth for the guests which meant the game was called two frames early. Emma Payton was stellar in the circle to claim the two-hit complete-game win.

Ehler’s crew outhit IUSB 11-2 which included four doubles. Hines finished with two hits and an RBI. Maddie Duvall, Courtney Mason and Goheen each posted a base knock and two RBI.

The nightcap started out much like the opener with HU jumping out to an early 6-0 lead but as the game wore on, it had a much different feel.

Hines knocked in a pair of runs in the first and the Foresters’ bats remained hot in the second with Kasey Hickle doubling in two more runs after which Gina Moore sent a ball to the right field fence for an RBI-triple. The sophomore outfielder then cruised home on Mason’s RBI-ground out.

While the hosts were enjoying a comfortable 6-0 lead, the Titans made sure they didn’t get too content with their cushion. The visitors kicked off the third by loading the bases and then proceeded to plate four runs over the course of their at bat, with only one earned compliments of a costly Forester error.

It severed the lead to just two at 6-4. HU got one back in their home half of the fourth by way of Reck’s RBI-double and it proved the game-winner as IUSB would go on to close the gap to just one by the fifth. After IUSB came up empty in the top of the sixth, the game was called due to darkness to make for the 7-6 final.

Moore finished 3-for-3 at the plate to go along with an RBI. As lead-off for HU, Hickle posted two hits, two runs and two RBI.

Starting pitcher Natalie Haselby was credited with the win. She tossed the first 2.2 frames and gave up four hits and four runs. Kinzie Mollenkopf threw the final 3.1 innings to earn the save after giving up five hits and two runs while striking out two.

With this sweep, HU improves to 7-5 while the Titans drop to 3-9.  The Foresters are in Fort Wayne tomorrow to take on Indiana Tech at 3:00 p.m.