SOFTBALL

In their home opener at Logansport High School, the HU softball team suffered a pair of losses, 7-4, 16-2, to one of the nation’s best in #14 Olivet Nazarene (2-0).

After being outscored 6-1 through the first two frames of game one, the Foresters spent the rest of the afternoon outscoring, 3-1, and outhitting, 6-5, their guests but unfortunately still came up short to suffer their first loss of the season. Kaela Robey drove in HU’s first run in her first at bat and then HU added another on an error in the fifth before a two-run seventh.

Abigail Reed got a hold of one on a 2-1 count to sail it over the center field fence after which Darby Minor sent one to the left-center fence to knock in Mica Allen, pinch runner for Robey who also blasted a shot to the same spot in the previous at bat. It pulled the Foresters within three, but they would get no closer as Miranda Southall, who went the distance for the Tigers, worked the final out to deny a heroic comeback.

Meghan Fretz took the loss for Huntington. She spent the first two innings in the circle where she gave up seven hits, six runs and two walks while striking out one. In the final five frames, Mallory West surrendered just one run on five hits while striking out three.

Offensively, the Foresters hammered out nine hits with Reed, Robey and Minor each logging a pair.

The nightcap was a slugfest for the Tigers. Eight of their 13 hits were for extra bases which included two homers.

Alli Davis in the third frame was HU’s demise. The senior shortstop set the tone by launching one over the right field fence to open the inning and then closed it out with a two-run triple. She accounted for three of ONU’s seven runs in their at bat. The Tiger lead went from 4-2 to 11-2 to put the game out of reach.

The guests would go on to plate five more runs over the next two innings to force the mercy-rule.

Both of Huntington’s run came in the second. Gower’s crew pieced together three straight hits which included back-to-back doubles by Reed and Robey with Robey collecting an RBI on her two-bagger. The third hit was at the bat of Jada Crofoot who sent Robey to third with a single into shallow center after which Sophia Beachy picked up the RBI by way of a sacrifice fly.

Crofoot finished with two of HU’s five base pokes. Freshman pitcher Adelyn Harsh was charged with the loss. She tossed the first 2.1 innings and gave up four hits, six runs and four walks while striking out two.

HU (2-2) is back in action on Saturday with a doubleheader at IU South Bend.