SOFTBALL

The Forester softball team kicked off league action Thursday afternoon with two road losses, 7-3, 5-1, at Spring Arbor. HU’s record stands at 5-6 overall, 0-2 in CL play.

Game one saw SAU (11-10, 3-1) jump out to a comfortable lead early on and then stave off their visitors the rest of the way. It was a 4-0 difference after three. The Foresters got two back in the top of the fourth when Kaela Robey clocked one off the left foul pole with high school teammate Jenessa Hasty on first for a two-run dinger. It’s her second long ball this season.

It was a short lived two-run ball game as the Cougars piled on three more runs in their half of the frame to extend the lead to 7-2. Joelle Beals found a gap in right-center in the top of the sixth to drive in the game’s final run to make for the 7-3 final.

Starting pitcher McKyndsea Burke was charged with the loss after tossing the first 1.2 innings during which she gave up three hits, three runs and a walk.

The first four frames of the nightcap were a pitcher’s duel as neither team touched home but the Cougars finally broke the silence in the bottom of the fifth by cranking out two runs on three hits. Kiera Stacy’s sacrifice fly n the top of the sixth pulled her team within one at 2-1 but SAU went on another tear in the bottom of the inning to score three more times on four base pokes and an error.

The Foresters landed one on base in their last at bat, but nothing came of it for a quiet ending to the twin bill.

HU’s only hits of the game came off the bats of Paige Eichelberger, Stacy and Hasty.

Meghan Fretz took the loss for Huntington. She gave up nine hits, five runs, four of which were earned, and two walks while striking out one in five innings of work.

The Foresters are not scheduled to play again until April 4. As announced by the Crossroads League earlier today, all sporting events have been suspended until April 1 due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19.