SOFTBALL

Despite keeping it close with #20 Indiana Wesleyan in the last regular season doubleheader, the Huntington softball team still came home from Sue Bowman Field on Saturday with a pair of losses, 4-0, 1-0.

The Wildcats scored three of their four runs in the first two innings of the opener for an early lead that stuck. Ashton Whitman pounded out a run-scoring base poke in each of her first two at-bats to account for half of her team’s scoring.

The Foresters managed three hits and, in the process, placed two runners in scoring position but couldn’t find home either time.

Karlee Franklin was charged with the loss. She threw all six frames and gave up nine hits and four runs while striking out four.

The nightcap showcased both teams’ pitchers. Through the first five frames, Natalie Haselby was riding a two-hit shutout while IWU’s Alyssa Wagner was enjoying a one-hit shutout.

Huntington showed signs of cracking Wagner when, with just one out, Ady Harsh and Maddie Duvall logged back-to-back singles in the top of the sixth. Unfortunately for Rethlake and crew, the Wildcats got out of the jam and then found a way to score in the home half of the sixth for what proved the game’s only score.

HU threatened again in the seventh when Carli Tharp singled her way on base to represent the tying run but once again, Wagner worked her magic to preserve the shutout.

Haselby took the loss for HU. In six innings of work, she gave up four hits, one run and one walk.

With these two losses, Huntington (19-27) finishes seventh in the regular season CL standings with a 15-21 league record. They will face 6th-seeded Saint Francis in a play-in game for a spot in the Crossroads League tournament on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at Mount Vernon.