BASEBALL

The HU baseball team closed out the regular season by sweeping Marian, 13-3, 7-1, Saturday afternoon at Forest Glen Park. With these two wins, Huntington improves to 29-19 overall which includes a 23-13 league record.

The Foresters dominated their guests in the opener to wrap things up two innings early compliments of the mercy rule. It was Jordan Malott’s RBI-double to left center in the seventh that put ten runs between the two squads to force the premature finish.

It only seemed fitting that Malott put the finishing touches on the game. He enjoyed hot sticks all game to finish 4-for-4 at the plate while driving in five runs. His hit fest included an RBI-single in the first and then a three-run bomb in the fifth. He was a triple away from hitting for the cycle.

Gregory Nolasco Berroa also had himself a day. Just like Malott, he too was perfect at the plate at 4-for-4. He scored all four times and had an RBI by way of a solo shot in the second.

Marian scored in their first at bat, but it proved their only reason for celebration as Huntington took the lead in the home half of the frame and never looked back. The Foresters outhit MU 14-6 which included Dylan Rost posting the go ahead run in the first when he singled in a run with a hit through the left side. He later claimed a sac fly in the fourth.

Also highlighting Huntington’s offensive prowess was Ryne Wheeler’s two-run double in the third and Kade Flores’ RBI-single a little later in the inning.

Noah Arbuckle picked up the win by giving up six hits, three runs and two walks while striking out four in five innings of work. Isaac Horton then offered two frames of hitless, scoreless relief.

The nightcap had a similar feel in that the Foresters took charge early and never gave their visitors a glimmer of hope. RJ Anglin made sure of that. The rookie scattered six hits while surrendering just one run. He fanned six batters without issuing a free pass in his six innings on the mound.

Offensively, HU touched home three times before the Knights finally got on the board. Matt Wolff knocked in run No. 1 with a hard hit single up the middle in the first. Rost made it 2-0 with an RBI-double in the second and was at it again in the fourth with a sacrifice fly. A Marian error resulted in another Forester making his way home but the biggest at bat of the contest came in the fifth when Malott smashed one over the left field fence for his second three-run dinger of the day.

Malott claimed two hits and three RBI. Sebastian Kuhns also hit for a pair.

Huntington heads into postseason play as the No. 4 seed in the Crossroads League tournament. The Foresters will kick off the tourney by facing #3 Saint Francis Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Taylor University.