SOFTBALL

The HU softball team had a rough go of it Wednesday night against the 12th-ranked Wildcats of Indiana Wesleyan (24-5, 5-3). The Foresters, having pulled into campus just after noon from Kentucky, played sluggish to suffer a pair of shutouts, 11-0, 2-0, to drop to 11-9 overall, 6-4 in league play.

Offense was null for the visitors as freshman Kennedy Krull was the only Forester to register a hit, a single to right-center in the top of the fifth, in the opener. Two walks were the only way two other Foresters reached base in a game cut to five frames because of the mercy rule.

The Wildcats had Lairen Miller’s number as they pounded out ten hits for 11 runs, all but one of which was earned. It was the HU ace’s worst loss of her Forester career as six runs were the most earned runs she had given up prior to tonight’s uncharacteristic outing. She handed out two free passes while striking out four during the four innings she spent in the circle. IWU scored six of their 11 runs by way of three long balls.

The freshmen tandem of Mallory West and Meghan Fretz shared pitching responsibilities in the nightcap to limit Wesleyan to just two runs, both in the fourth. Unfortunately, Huntington’s bats remained silent to make for a second straight shutout.

West was tagged with the lost. She tossed the first 3.1 innings and gave up four hits and both runs after which Fretz offered 2.2 innings of hitless, scoreless relief.

Four different Foresters posted a hit with Casey Lehman logging the only base poke for extra bases, a double in the fourth to deep right-center. Huntington’s most promising frame came in the second when Fretz led off with a single and two outs later Marty Harris claimed an infield single. However, winning pitcher Mckenzey Ridge made sure the Foresters didn’t find home by coaxing Krull into a groundout for the third out.

HU has a day off before hosting Grace on Friday at 3:00 p.m.