SOFTBALL

After dropping a 3-2 decision to the Trojans in the opener, the Huntington softball team stormed back with a 9-3 win over #RV Taylor University to split with their hosts on Friday afternoon at Gudakunst Field.

Game one saw the two teams combine for 13 hits with HU posting six of them, three of which they collected in the fourth when they plated both their runs. Denaia Rice opened up the frame with single into shallow right and eventually found her way home on Taylor’s only botched play of the day. It wasn’t long after that that Sophia Beachy, who picked up her team’s second hit of the inning, came around to score on Joelle Beal’s RBI-single.

It proved a short-lived advantage as the Trojans matched that in their home half of the fourth. It upped Taylor’s total to three thanks to Hannah Castor’s sixth dinger of the year, a solo shot in the second. The final three frames came and went without incident as 3-2 proved the final score.

MacKyndsea Burke went the distance in the circle for HU to be charged with the loss having given up seven hits, three runs and a walk.

Beachy and Paige Eichelberger each finished with two base pokes for Gower’s crew.

Meghan Fretz held the Trojans in check in the nightcap with her second straight complete-game win. The sophomore hurler surrendered six hits, three runs and two walks while striking out four.

The heart of the line-up took charge of Huntington’s offense as the first five batters accounted for nine of their team’s 16 hits while driving in six of the nine runs. Eichelberger, batting in the No. 2 spot, was the main cog by going 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in three runs and scoring once. The sophomore southpaw singled in a run in the second and followed that up with a two-run shot into right in the next frame.

Kiera Gray, lead-off for HU, also went 3-for-4 which included a run-scoring single in the third. Batting clean-up, Jada Crofoot posted a pair of hits and knocked in the game’s final two run in the sixth when she ripped a double to deep left.

Joelle Beals and Hannah Shoupe also registered two base pokes and an RBI.

Just like the opener, the bats for both teams were active early on. Taylor struck first in their opening at bat to scoot in front 2-0 after which HU took over by plating three runs in the second and adding four more to their total in the third. Gower’s squad went on to outscore their hosts 2-1 the rest of the way to cruise to their third win over a ranked opponent.

HU (14-24, 10-18) is back on the road Saturday for a doubleheader with Mount Vernon at 1:00 p.m.