SOFTBALL

The Forester softball team kicked off their time in the Sunshine State with two wins Sunday evening as part of the Space Coast Games in Melbourne, Fla., outlasting Olivet Nazarene 2-1 before cruising to a 5-1 win over Hannibal LaGrange shortly after.

HU’s win against the Tigers was of the come-from-behind variety with both runs coming in the top of the seventh. The only run Huntington gave up was in the fifth on a double steal. It proved an unearned run. Kinzie Mollenkopf (3-0) was once again spectacular. The sophomore sensation has yet to give up an earned run in the 20 frames she’s spent in the circle with today’s outing another complete-game victory.

The fifth was what stood between her and a perfect game as it was the only inning she surrendered a walk followed by the Foresters’ only error of the game. It was the perfect storm as it landed runners on the corners setting the stage for the double steal.

Mollenkopf’s numbers were impressive as she held ONU hitless and struck out four batters. She worked six 1-2-3 innings.

After leaving seven baserunners stranded through the first six innings, Averill’s crew finally found home in the seventh. Carli Tharp sparked the comeback with a three-bagger and then scurried home on Kasey Hickle’s infield single. Jess Duvall and Gena Moore loaded the bases with back-to-back base knocks and then Maddie Goheen put the finishing touches on HU’s fifth straight victory with a sacrifice fly as the game-winning play.

Twins Jess and Maddie Duvall each pounded out two hits to account for four of HU’s nine base smacks.

These two squads have met up eight times since 2008 with today marking Huntington’s first win over the Tigers.

Against Hannibal-LaGrange, the Foresters went off for all five of their runs in the third. Of their three hits, two were for extra bases including Gena Moore’s RBI-triple and Josslynn Harbert’s two-run double. Maddie Duvall pounded out the third hit, an RBI-single, while Kylie Fisher’s ground out also drove in a run.

The Trojans got one back in the top of the fourth but that’s all Natalie Haselby was having. The junior southpaw went the distance to nab the complete-game win having given up just three hits, one run and a walk while striking out six.

With these two wins, Huntington remains perfect at 6-0. HU is back at it tomorrow afternoon to take on Fisher and Keiser.