BASEBALL

The HU baseball team went 1-3 in their series with IU Southeast to kick off spring break. On Sunday the Foresters struggled offensively to suffer an 11-1 loss in the opener before coming alive at the plate in the nightcap to slug their way to a 12-10 win. Monday saw HU drop both games, 6-4, 10-7.

The guests managed just five hits in game one of the series which included Pelletier’s RBI-single in the seventh representing their only run. Sebastian Kuhns finished with two of his team’s five hits.

Starting pitcher Noah Arbuckle was strapped with the loss having tossed the first 3.2 frames and given up four hits, four runs and five walks while striking out two.

The Foresters led from start to finish of game two on Sunday. Coach Frame had several heavy hitters with Matt Wolff kicking things off with a run-scoring single to right in the first. The next inning he drove in another run by sending a ball to the opposite side of the field.

Kuhns pounded out two doubles, driving in two runs each time. Jordan Malott logged his team’s lone homerun of contest with a shot over the left field fence in the fourth. He earned a second RBI on a sac fly in the next frame.  Owen Imel singled in a run while Sam Kestranek scored on a wild pitch to round out Huntington’s scoring.

RJ Anglin picked up the win for HU. In four innings of work, he gave up four hits, three runs, two of which were earned, and three base on balls while fanning seven. Three pitchers later, closer Max Meisner threw the final inning where he gave up a hit, run and two walks while striking out one to earn the save, his third of the year.

In Monday’s first game, HU opened up a 4-1 lead after their fourth at bat, but the Grenadiers came storming back for the 6-4 come-from-behind win. Three of Huntington’s four runs came by way of homeruns with Gregory Nolasco Berroa initiating the slugfest in the first with a blast over the left field fence. Later than inning Dylan Rost posted an RBI-single for the early 2-0 lead.

Bryce Deckman homered in the second and then sent one long again in the fourth. Huntington’s bats went quiet after that while IUSE’s were just warming up. The hosts cut it to one at 4-3 by the fifth and then erupted for three runs in the sixth to take over the lead which they rode out for the win.

After Graham Kollen pitched the first three innings for what proved the no decision, Adam Oxley was tagged with the loss for his two innings of work in which he gave up three hits, five runs, four of which earned, and three walks while striking out one.

HU took the early lead, compliments of Malott’s sacrifice fly in the first, in the final game of the series but couldn’t match IU Southeast’s offensive firepower after that. The Grenadiers scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings to plate ten runs forcing the visitors to play catch up the rest of the way.

Ryne Wheeler plastered a shot over the right field fence for his third homer of the year for a 4-2 difference. IUSE went on to grow their advantage to 10-2 heading into the sixth where the Foresters made a valiant effort at a heroic comeback. Berroa clocked his second dinger of the series, this one a two-run shot over the left field fence to kick off HU’s five-run frame. With bases loaded, Pelletier was hit by a pitch for a unique RBI.

Imel kept things rolling with a single through the right side that drove in the fourth run of the frame after which Kestranek used his speed to scurry home on a wild pitch. When all was said and done, HU sent ten batters to the plate in the sixth, but it wouldn’t be enough as the seventh came and went with Frame and crew conceding quietly.

Starting pitcher Grant Simmons was charged with the loss after surrendering five hits and four runs while striking out one in two innings on the mound.

Huntington (4-6) picks back up on Friday for their home and conference opener against Spring Arbor with first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m.