Sports News

SOFTBALL

The Huntington softball team took a pause from league play and headed down south to face Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (11-9) Monday afternoon of spring break where they swept the Pomeroys, 1-0, 8-3, to improve to 11-7 overall.

SMWC, last year’s United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Champions, entered the day averaging over six runs per game but Gower and crew made sure that didn’t happen on this given afternoon. In addition to holding them well below their season average, HU handed the Pomeroys just their second shutout of the season.

The Foresters scored in their first at bat in the opener and little did anyone suspect it would be enough for the win as Casey Lehman singled in Joelle Beals who led off with a walk for a 1-0 lead in the first that held for the final.

Hats off to HU ace Lairen Miller who tossed a one-hitter for her second complete-game shutout of the year. Miller was phenomenal. An HU error in the third and an infield single in the fourth was the only thing that came between the sophomore hurler and a rare perfect game.

Huntington’s sticks came alive in the nightcap as they darted out to a 6-0 lead before settling for the 8-3 win. Freshman Kennedy Krull started things off with a bang by sending one out of the park in the top of the third for her first collegiate dinger.

The fourth proved to be one of the Foresters’ most explosive offensive innings of the year as they plated five runs. With one out and bases loaded, compliments of three singles, Karley Blankenship snuck a single through the left side for the frame’s first run. A Krull RBI-single and Marty Harris sacrifice fly brought in two more runs after which Joelle Beals drove in two more with a base poke to center.

While the Pomeroys would go on to outscore Huntington 3-2 the rest of the way, the damage was already done as HU was able to easily cruise to the win.

Gower’s crew collected 12 hits, six of those hitting coming in the fourth. Beals led the way with three hits and two RBI. Krull finished with two hits, two RBI and scored twice. Paige Eichelberger also tallied a pair of base pokes for the Foresters.

Mallory West went the distance for the win, giving up seven hits, three runs and three walks while striking out two.

Next up for Huntington is an encounter with Brescia University tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.