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HU SB opens league play with twin losses

The Huntington University softball team opened Crossroads League play with a pair of defeats to host Spring Arbor University, losing 7-3 and 5-1 on Thursday, March 12.

In the opening contest, the Cougars scored three runs in the second inning and another in the third to take a 4-0 lead on the Foresters. Freshman Kaela Robey ended the shutout in the fourth, smacking a two-run dinger for the visitors. She drove in fellow freshman Jenessa Hasty, who had reached base with a single.

Unfortunately for Huntington, Spring Arbor countered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to give itself some breathing room. A Forester solo tally in the sixth brought the game to its final register. Senior Joelle Beals hit a one-bagger to plate senior Amber Klopfenstein, who was pinch-running for sophomore Kiera Stacy. Stacy kicked off the inning by advancing to first on a Cougar error. Klopfenstein later stole second and advanced to third.

Huntington, 5-6, 0-2 in the Crossroads League, finished with five hits.

MacKyndsea Burke took the loss in the circle for the Foresters. The junior, 2-1, pitched the first 1.2 innings, yielding three hits and as many earned runs.

The second tilt was scoreless through the first four innings. Spring Arbor, however, got on the board with two runs in the fifth. Huntington replied with a solo tally in the sixth, but the Cougars pushed across three more runs in the bottom of the frame to ice the game.

The Foresters’ lone run came courtesy of Stacy, who hit a sacrifice fly that plated junior Sophia Beachy. Beachy had reached base on a walk, then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball.

Coach Doug Gower’s squad finished with three hits.

Meghan Fretz tossed the first five innings for Huntington, permitting nine hits and five runs, four of which were earned, to take the loss. The junior, 2-3, struck out one and walked two.

The Foresters are off until April 4, due to cancelations prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak.