SOFTBALL

After picking up a pair of road wins against Grace on Friday, the HU softball team did the same at Taylor Saturday afternoon. The Foresters held TU scoreless both contests, 6-0, 9-0, at Gudakunst Field. The two wins against the Trojans were sweet revenge for Ehler and crew having gone 0-2 the first time these two squads met up early this season.

Not only did HU play spoiler to TU’s Senior Day, today marked the first time this season the Trojans have been blanked in back-to-back games.

Freshman Emma Payton handed Taylor their first shutout. She allowed eight hits and three walks in her complete-game victory.

Maddie Goheen kicked off the scoring by roping a single into center field in the third to drive in two runs. Things were pretty quiet after that until the sixth when HU racked up four insurance runs on four hits. Jess Duvall doubled in a run after which Bree Hines posted an RBI-fielder’s choice. Gena Moore followed up with a sacrifice fly and then Courtney Mason wrapped up the scoring with a single into right center that allowed Jo Walker to speed home from second.

Payton passed the baton to classmate Kinzie Mollenkopf who tossed a second complete-game dandy. The Logansport native scattered just two hits and issued three free passes while striking out three in her shutout.

HU kept things rolling offensively by pounding out 13 hits while taking advantage of three TU errors. The guests scored their first run on an error in the second. Nigella Reck pushed a run across home plate with her RBI-groundout in the third. That same frame saw Duvall knock in two runs with her second of three singles.

Huntington scored in each of the next three innings thanks to RBI-singles by Hines, Carli Tharp and Khloee Gregory. Walker then put the finishing touches on the day with an RBI-fielder’s choice to post the ninth and final run of the afternoon before the team headed to Ivan Hoe’s to celebrate.

Moore and Duvall each hammered out three hits to account for half their team’s 12 hits. Duvall also logged two RBI. Tharp finished with two hits and two RBI.

With today’s sweep, the Foresters improve to 22-24 overall, 14-18 in CL play. With four CL games remaining, HU is sitting sixth in the league standings. Ehler and crew are home against Bethel on Tuesday and then home again on Saturday against IWU.