SOFTBALL

Taking a break from league play, the Huntington softball team split with UNOH (15-11) on Monday to move to 18-14 on the year. A two-run walk-off homer lifted the hosts past HU 8-6 in the opener before the Foresters ran away with a 16-3 decision in the nightcap.

The opening game was a see saw affair featuring five lead changes and a tie with Zoe Johnson’s bomb in the bottom of the seventh giving her team the final say. It was her third homer of the game and came on the heels of Sophia Beachy doubling in the tying run in the top of the frame.

It was Beachy’s second RBI-base poke of the afternoon with her first coming in the first inning when she drove in Hannah Shoupe with a single up the middle for an early 1-0 lead. UNOH answered in their half of the frame with three runs for a two-run difference until the fourth.

With a runner on, Kiera Stacy sent one long for her first dinger of the year, the fourth of her career, after which Jada Crofoot roped a shot into center to knock in another pair of runs. The Foresters enjoyed a 5-3 lead over the next few innings but UNOH was just getting started.

The Racers reclaimed the lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to set up the action-packed seventh that ended in dramatic walk-off fashion.

Crofoot and Stacy each finished with two hits and two RBI to pace the Foresters. McKyndsea Burke spent the first five frames in the circle for the no decision before being replaced by Mallory West who was ultimately charged with the loss having given up a hit and two runs in 1.1 innings of work.

The nightcap saw Gower’s crew post their biggest numbers of the season with 16 runs. It was the sixth time this season HU plated double-digit runs. In addition to hammering out ten hits, the Foresters also had a little help from their hosts to the tune of five errors.

The third was a scoring fest for HU. The guests more than batted around and exposed the Racers in a variety of ways which included pounding out three hits, two of which drove in runs, drawing seven walks, taking advantage of an error, stealing eight bases and scoring on five passed balls. When all the dust settled, the Foresters touched home eight times to build on a 7-0 lead they took into the frame. It made for a 15-0 difference after three.

Huntington’s final run was a solo shot by Abigail Reed in the fifth which proved the third of her young career. HU’s first seven runs were split between the first two innings highlighted by Beachy’s RBI-double in her first at-bat.

In their 29 at bats, the Foresters collected ten hits and drew nine walks while only striking out twice. Reed finished with two hits and two RBI. Breanna Hines and Paige Eichelberger also logged two base pokes apiece with Eichelberger recording an RBI.

Mica Allen earned the complete-game win having tossed five frames and given up nine hits, three runs and one walk while striking out two. HU is back in action on Saturday to host Saint Francis at 1:00 p.m.