SOFTBALL

The 3rd-seeded Huntington University softball team saw their Crossroads League Tournament run cut short Thursday morning, falling 9-1 in five innings to 6th-seeded Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) in a run-rule decision at Taylor’s Gudakunst Field.

It marked MVNU’s second consecutive upset of the tournament, having already taken down 4th-seeded Saint Francis, 7-4, on opening day.

HU struggled to generate offense, managing just two hits on the day. Kasey Hickle drove in the Foresters’ lone run with a two-out double to deep center, scoring Carli Tharp, who had reached base on a walk and advanced to second on a steal.

The Cougars’ offense was firing on all cylinders, pounding out 13 hits and scoring five runs in a decisive third inning. HU starting pitcher Kinzie Mollenkopf took the loss after surrendering nine hits, six runs and a walk while striking out two in 2.2 innings.

Despite the early exit, the Foresters wrap up a standout season with a 33-18-1 record, the second-most wins in program history and just the third 30+ win season for HU softball.