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HU baseball team still seeks first win

The Huntington University baseball team is still looking for its first win after going 0-4 over Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, against host Brescia University and Judson University.

In the opener on Friday against Brescia, each team hammered out nine hits but two Forester errors proved to be the difference in the game as Huntington gave up an unearned run on its way to a 4-3 loss. Xyan Adkisson pitched the first six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, before John Ripke was tagged with the loss after 2.2 innings on the mound, when he gave up an RBI base hit in the bottom of the ninth.

Josh Lanphier paced Huntington, 0-7, offensively with a pair of hits, an RBI and a steal. Jordan Klopfenstein also finished with two hits while Bryce Anderson and Marc Bowers each knocked in a run.

In the nightcap, Brescia was able to fend off a late surge by the Foresters to hang on for another 4-3 win. Huntington's offense struggled to find any rhythm through the first six innings as they dug itself a 4-0 hole. The bats finally came to life in the top of the seventh behind a two-run double by Blake Ayers. Huntington went on to close to within one at 4-3 but it wouldn't be enough as the Bearcats rode out the win.

Junior Derek McKinney took the loss for Huntington, giving up three hits, four runs and two walks while striking out five in 4.1 innings of work. Blake Hohlbein worked a scoreless final 1.2 innings.

Brian Kirschbaum finished 2-for-3 from the plate. Ayers was the only other Forester to pick up a hit in the losing effort.

Against Judson University on Saturday, the Eagles opened up a 4-0 lead through the first three innings on their way to a 9-3 win. The Foresters picked up a run in three consecutive innings beginning in the fourth when Lanphier knocked in Adam Christner with a single up the middle. Ayers trimmed the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth when he scampered home on an errant throw from right field but Judson blew the game open in their half of the frame by adding three insurance runs for a 7-2 lead.

Huntington got one back in the top of the sixth on a run-scoring single by Bryce Anderson but once again the Eagles responded by closing out the inning with two more runs to cruise to the lopsided win.

Ayers paced Huntington at the plate with two hits. Kirschbaum picked up his second loss of the season. He gave up nine runs on 13 hits while striking out six in five innings on the mound.

In the final game of the weekend, Brescia cruised past Huntington 8-2. Huntington opened up play with a 1-0 lead but couldn't hang on as the Bearcats tied things up at 1-1 in the bottom of the third and then plated three more runs in the next frame to claim a permanent lead. Brescia went on to outscore their visitors 4-1 the rest of the way to log their third consecutive win over Huntington.

Cody Walters suffered his first loss of the season. He gave up seven runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out three in six innings of work.

The Foresters scattered eight hits with Ayers and Brice Urschel collecting two apiece.