SOFTBALL

The Huntington softball team traded wins with Goshen Wednesday afternoon at the GC Softball Complex. The Foresters pulled away from the Maple Leafs at the end of game one to post an 11-1 win after which the hosts outlasted HU in walk-off fashion, 5-4, in the nightcap.

Emma Payton remained perfect on the year at 3-0 with a gem of a performance in the opener. The rookie hurler gave up Goshen’s lone run in the third. She scattered five hits and two walks while striking out two in a complete-game effort.

Ehler’s crew offered more than enough support at the plate in the second half of the contest. Bree Hines finally kick-started HU’s offense with a game-tying dinger in the fourth. It’s her second homer of the year.

Things were clicking in the fifth for Huntington with their first two runs coming by way of a throwing error after which their sticks drove in three more runs. Gena Moore, Jess Duvall and Khloee Gregory each claimed an RBI-base smack to up the lead to 6-1.

Two frames later, HU matched their six-hit, five-run fifth inning. This time they didn’t have the help of GC’s defense. Hines singled in a run as did Maddie Duvall after which Maddy Goheen blasted a shot into left for a two-run double followed by a Carli Tharpe sacrifice fly.

When all was said and done, the guests finished with 13 hits to Goshen’s five with five Foresters posting two hits.

Huntington picked up where they left off to start the nightcap, plating two runs in the second thanks to Gregory’s RBI-single and Moore getting tagged by a pitch with bases loaded. The hosts’ bats which had been relatively quiet most of the afternoon finally woke up in the third, cashing in five hits for four runs for a 4-2 advantage.

The Foresters crept back in it, getting one back in the fourth when Tharp drove in a run with a single through the left side. Maddie Duvall, after leading off the sixth with a single, eventually made her way around the bases which included hurrying home on a wild pitch to knot things up at 4-4.

The score remained tied heading into the seventh and looked promising for the guests when Jess Duvall was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. Unfortunately nothing came of it. Goshen also got their lead off on base, by way of an HU error, and it paid dividends by way of a walk-off single not long after bringing an abrupt ending to the day.

Reliever Natalie Haselby was charged with the loss. She tossed the final 3.2 innings and gave up just two hits, a run and a walk while striking out two.

Both teams finished with seven hits. Gregory and Tharp collected two base pokes and an RBI to lead HU at the plate.

The Foresters (11-7, 3-1) are back in action on Saturday to host #10 Marian at 1:00 p.m.