BASEBALL

Huntington baseball opened its home slate  and Crossroads League play in unforgettable fashion Friday afternoon at Forest Glen Park, sweeping Indiana Wesleyan 10-9 and 12-2 in a doubleheader that featured a walk-off thriller and a power-packed nightcap.

Game One: Huntington 10, Indiana Wesleyan 9
The opener was a back-and-forth slugfest that saw the Foresters erase two deficits, the final comeback coming in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth.

After falling behind 3-2 through four innings, HU turned the tables in the fifth when Oakland City transfer Keifer Wilson launched the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for a three-run homer, giving Huntington a 5-3 lead.

The Wildcats answered late. IWU plated four runs in the eighth and added two more in the ninth, including their fourth home run of the game, to grab a 9-5 advantage. But Huntington was far from done.

Braden Kauffman and Sam Kestranek ignited the rally with back-to-back hits. Johnnie Ankenbruck ripped an RBI single to right, Wilson followed with a run-scoring double, and Zach Pelletier laced a single up the middle to make it 9-8. With two outs and the bases loaded, Tanner Reinartz calmly drew a walk to tie the game. Moments later, Kauffman was hit by a pitch with the bases still loaded to force in the winning run and complete the 10-9 stunner.

The Foresters pounded out 17 hits to IWU’s 15. Wilson finished 3-for-5 with four RBI, while Reinartz drove in three, highlighted by a two-run double in the second that accounted for HU’s first runs of the day. Jace Fowler and Owen Willard each had two hits, and six different Foresters recorded an RBI.

On the mound, Dylan Eggl earned the win in relief after RJ Anglin struck out 11 over six innings.

IWU was powered by Braxton Brosmer, who went 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI. Nick Wiley and Greg Vineyard also homered for the Wildcats.

Game Two: Huntington 12, Indiana Wesleyan 2
If game one was dramatic, game two was dominant.

Rienartz was nuclear, continuing his assault on IWU pitching with a perfect 3-for-3 performance — all three hits leaving the yard. The freshman slugger blasted three home runs and drove in seven RBI in the 12-2 rout.

And somehow, he had company.

Willard also went deep twice, each time driving in two runs. The Foresters launched five home runs in the nightcap and scored at least one run in each of the first five innings to bury the Wildcats early. Willard finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Reinartz accounted for more than half of HU’s 11 RBI in the game.

Huntington needed just seven hits to plate 12 runs, capitalizing on timely power and four walks. Meanwhile, the pitching staff handled the rest.

Max Engle went 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out four. Gabe Hamrick closed the door with a 0.2 scoreless frame. IWU managed just four hits in the finale.

With the sweep, Huntington improves to 12-1 overall while the Wildcats fall to 6-8. The Foresters now head to Marion for a Saturday twin bill at Crandall Family Field with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.