SOFTBALL

The Huntington softball team is four-for-four on the season after Thursday’s two wins, 5-0, 6-3, over IU South Bend at the World Baseball Academy. Despite playing at a neutral site, it was considered a home series for the Foresters given their field isn’t ready yet.

For the second time in as many outings, Kinzie Mollenkopf (2-0) tossed a complete-game shutout. Today’s gem saw the sophomore hurler surrender just one hit and a walk while fanning eight batters. Her dominating performance never gave IUSB a fighting chance as only one Titan advanced beyond first base.

Offensively, HU smacked nine hits with Kylie Fisher accounting for three while Gena Moore added a pair of base pokes, with both hits knocking in a run. The Foresters put runs on the board in the third and fourth with an IUSB error allowing a run to score in each inning.

In addition to Moore’s two RBI-hits, Carli Tharp blasted a double to center in the fourth that allowed Fisher to round the bases from first for her second of two runs scored.

Natalie Haselby (1-1) had a gritty performance in the circle in the nightcap. After giving up a two-run homerun in the second, she settled in to allow just one more Titan run the rest of the way, going the distance to secure the win. In seven innings of work, the junior southpaw gave up four hits, three runs and two walks while striking out four.

Huntington touched home in their opening at-bat but by the third inning found themselves down 3-2. They not only made up the difference in the fourth but went on to add a few insurance runs. HU got creative in loading the bases by way of a single, error and walk after which Carlie Tharp coaxed a second walk to pull things even at 3-3. Jess Duvall found a hole in right field to bring in two more runs after which another IUSB blunder pushed the inning’s fourth run across home plate for the hosts.

Jo Walker blistered a double down the left field line in the first to account for Huntington’s first run while their second run came the next inning when Khloee Gregory stole home while her teammate was caught stealing second base. Jess Duvall finished 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in two runs to pace the Foresters offensively. As a team, HU outhit their guests 8-4.

With these two wins, Huntington improves to 4-0. They fly to Florida on Friday for a week of softball in the Sunshine State with their first game against Olivet Nazarene at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.