BASEBALL

If there were any questions about Huntington’s firepower, they were answered Thursday afternoon at Robbie Jones Field. The Foresters unleashed for 31 runs in a doubleheader sweep of MidAmerica Nazarene, taking game one 9-2 before detonating for a 22-2 nightcap blowout that hadn’t been seen since HU hung 22 on Grace back in April of 2023.

While the offense stole the show, the sweep was anchored by dominant pitching — starting with RJ Anglin’s six strong innings in the opener.

Game 1 – Huntington 9, MidAmerica Nazarene 2
MidAmerica Nazarene briefly grabbed momentum in the third when Christian Ramos lined a two-run single to give the hosts a 2-0 edge – their only lead of the entire series. That’s when it became go time.

Huntington answered in the fourth on a wild pitch before Cam Clarkson laced an RBI single to even things at 2-2. The Foresters seized control in the fifth with three runs highlighted by Deklan Thompson’s two-run triple. Huntington’s hot bats continued into the seventh where they padded their advantage with four more runs when Keifer Wilson’s single scored two runs after which Clarkson knocked in another and then eventually came around to score on a passed ball.

Proving once again why he’s the ace of HU’s staff, Anglin struck out 10 of the 24 batters he faced, allowing just four hits, two runs and two walks across six innings to pick up the win and remain perfect on the year at 3-0. Keegan Shovlain shut the door with a clean seventh, striking out three.

At the plate, HU totaled eight hits and five walks while striking out just six times. Thompson finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a triple. Clarkson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk. Wilson also added two hits and just as many RBI, while Owen Willard scored twice and drove in a run.

Huntington’s aggressiveness showed on the bases with four stolen bags and consistent pressure that forced Pioneer miscues.

Game 2 – Huntington 22, MidAmerica Nazarene 2
By the third inning of the nightcap, the game had turned into a runaway.

After scoring three times in the first two frames, Huntington plated nine runs in the third, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring in every way imaginable — RBI hits, a sacrifice fly, a bases-loaded hit batter and a Pioneer error.

Anglin did damage with the bat this time, launching a two-run triple over the right fielder’s to headline HU’s big frame. Thompson notched his second triple of the day while Zach Pelletier and Kade Flores added run-scoring knocks to round out HU’s four RBI-hits in the third.

The fourth inning was just as punishing. Despite two hits in the frame, including a Flores two-run single, the Foresters scored seven times, most notably having capitalized on a pair of walks and hit batter with bases loaded. When the dust settled, Huntington had built a 19-0 cushion before the Pioneers finally scratched across two runs in the home half.

HU added three more runs for good measure, including another Flores’ smack, this time an RBI double in the sixth.

When it was all said and done, the Foresters had sifted through five Pioneer pitchers and posted 14 hits (five for extra bases), 18 RBI, eight walks, eight hit batters and five stolen bases.

Flores powered the attack, going 3-for-5 with four RBI and two doubles. Anglin finished with three RBI. Thompson scored five runs, went 3-for-4 with two walks and swiped three bags. Braden Kauffman drove in two and scored three times, while Pelletier scored three and drove in two.

On the mound, freshman Max Engle earned the win, tossing five innings while allowing five hits and two runs with five strikeouts. Gabe Hamrick added two scoreless innings of relief.

With the sweep, Huntington improves to 8-1, while the Pioneers fall to 2-4. The two squads meet again tomorrow for another doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.