SOFTBALL

The HU softball team extended their win streak to seven Friday afternoon by sweeping the visiting Pilots of Bethel University, 12-4, 8-0. Both games were called an inning early because of the run-rule.

Huntington’s first win was fueled by a seven-run second inning where they scored all seven runs before recording an out. The scoring rampage began when Jo Walker came home on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Carli Tharp. Kasey Hickle drove in run number two with a single into left field after which Khloee Gregory collected an RBI when she was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. Jess Duvall delivered the biggest hit of the inning, ripping a three-run double to left center and then coming around to score on the throw to cap off HU’s explosive start.

In the fourth inning, Huntington added three more runs to their lead with Maddie Goheen’s RBI single the only run-scoring hit. The other two runs came by way of a passed ball and another hit batter, this time Kayla Dudzik taking one for the team. Jess Duvall then took over the contest, knocking in a run in the fifth and then bringing an abrupt ending to the game with a walk-off RBI-single in the sixth that put the necessary eight runs between the two squads for the mercy rule to go into effect.

Duvall led the offense, going 3-for-5 at the plate with five RBI. Hickle contributed three hits, two runs, and an RBI while Maddie Duvall also logged multiple hits by going 2-for-4 at the plate. As a team, HU tallied 13 hits, drew five walks and capitalized on five hit batters to claim the dominate win.

Sophomore Kinzie Mollenkopf was stellar in the circle to earn the complete-game win. She struck out ten of the 25 batters she faced while allowing just four hits, four runs, and a walk. She gave up all four runs on one mighty swing, a grand slam in the third.

Sisters Natalie and Bethany Haselby teamed up to shutout the Pilots in the nightcap. Natalie started the game, tossing the first 4.1 frames where she gave up six hits and two walks while fanning one to notch the win. Bethany then finished out the contest having surrendered a hit and walk in the final 1.2 innings.

It was back-to-back doubles in the second that kicked off Huntington’s scoring. Tharp clocked a two-run shot into left center and then came around to score on Fisher’s RBI-two bagger. In the fifth, the Foresters racked up six hits highlighted by Jess Duvall’s three-run blast and Maddie Duvall’s RBI-single for another four runs. Gena Moore put the finishing touches on the contest, ending things on a walk-off single in the sixth just like the opener.

HU piled up 11 hits to Bethel’s seven. The Pilots left ten batters stranded. It’s the fourth time BU has been shutout and the sixth time Huntington has posted a clean sheet.

With these wins, Averill’s crew improves to 19-9 overall, 8-6 in league play. HU hits the road tomorrow to take on Saint Francis at 1:00 p.m.