SOFTBALL

It was a day of celebration for the Huntington softball team Saturday afternoon on their home turf.
In addition to downing Saint Francis twice, 8-7, 4-3, HU also took the opportunity to honor their seniors before opening pitch.

It was a walk-off win in the opener. HU had their work cut out for them when Saint Francis opened up a 7-2 lead after plating five runs in the top of the sixth. The hosts got two back in the bottom of the frame on a Nigella Reck RBI-ground out and Cougar error.

After Emma Payton worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, Huntington went back to work. Gena Moore led off the frame by singling her way on base, advancing to second on a ground out and then coming around to score on Jess Duvall’s RBI-base poke into right field. Several batters later with bases loaded and two outs, Reck came in clutch with a screamer into right that drove in two runs to deadlock things at 7-7.

Payton worked another 1-2-3 eighth to set the stage for the walk-off finish. It was déjà vu as Moore led off the frame with another single, her third hit of the day, and then eventually came around to score on Maddie Duvall’s game-ending single.

The Foresters collected 11 hits as did USF. Maddie Duvall finished 4-for-5 from the plate to go along with an RBI. Reck posted a hit and three RBI while Jess Duvall added a hit and two RBI.

Payton tossed the final 5.1 innings to earn the win in the circle. The freshman hurler gave up seven hits, five runs and a walk while striking out three.

While HU was outhit 8-7 in the nightcap, the hosts were more efficient to pick up win number two. Ehler’s crew cashed in on two hits in the first to score twice at the bat of the Duvall twins, Jess’ RBI-single and Maddie’s RBI-groundout.

Huntington’s next two runs came in the fourth on a pair of hits, run-scoring singles by Moore and Hines. At that point, the hosts were up 4-2. USF threatened in the top of the seventh. With bases loaded and no outs, the Foresters turned a double play. Saint Francis scored on the play to close to within one, but Natalie Haselby coaxed the next batter into a groundout to slam the door shut on any late-game heroics the visitors were scheming.

Kinzie Mollenkopf picked up the win after tossing the first 5.1 innings where she gave up six hits, two runs and two walks while striking out one. Haselby wrapped up the win by throwing the final 1.2 frames to earn the save having given up two hits, a run and a walk.

With today’s two wins, HU extends their win streak to four and improves to 18-22 overall, 10-16 in CL action. Huntington is back at home on Tuesday to host Spring Arbor at 3:00 p.m.