SOFTBALL

The Grenadiers of IU Southeast sent the Huntington softball team home with two losses, 2-1, 12-4, Saturday afternoon at Koetter Sports Softball Complex. It was HU’s first outing in more than a week as they drop to 5-6 on the year.

Game one was a pitcher’s duel between Karlee Franklin and Madison Wathen. While both teams threatened through the first three frames, HU leaving four baserunners stranded to IUSE’s five, both pitchers got out of the jam each time. The Grenadiers finally cracked the code against Franklin once in the fourth and then again in the fifth for a 2-0 lead.

It took Rethlake’s crew until the seventh to finally figure out Wathen. Khloee Gregory led off with a triple after which pinch hitter Natalie Haselby found a hole in right to single her in. As Haselby’s pinch runner, Kinsey Westerhouse stole second to represent the tying run.

Two out later, Courtney Mason kept HU’s drive alive by drawing a walk but unfortunately Wathen stopped the bleeding for IUSE by striking out her fourteenth batter of the afternoon to snuff out the guests’ hopes of a thrilling comeback.

Franklin was charged with the loss having given up eight hits, two runs, only one of which was earned, and a walk while fanning seven.

The nightcap started out in favor of Huntington with Audrey Barnes knocking in the game’s first run in the first with a single into center only to have the Grenadiers matched it in their half of the frame. Gena Moore put HU back on top with an RBI-single in the top of the second but the hosts answered again, this time loudly when Autumn Oehlstrom plastered one over the right field fence for a two-run dinger.

It woke up IUSE’s bats as they reeled off six runs in the third to open up a 9-2 lead. Rethlake’s gritty crew didn’t go down quietly as they got two back in the fourth on a Breanna Hines run-scoring single after which Jenessa Hasty worked a walk with bases loaded.

Unfortunately, as was the pattern all contest, IU Southeast went right back to work in their half of the frame to put up three more runs for an eight-point spread that they held onto through the fifth to force an early ending compliments of the run-rule.

Haselby was pegged with the loss. During her one-inning stint in the circle, the rookie hurler gave up five hits, six runs and a walk.

HU is back in action on Wednesday to host Mount Vernon which proves their home as well as league opener.