Hawks score 19 runs in series opener with Blackburn

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Huntingdon set the tone at the plate and put Blackburn College away early on Friday. The Hawks rapped out nine hits and scored seven runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 19-4 win over the Beavers at Posey Field.

Huntingdon (13-4) finished with 19 hits. This was the sixth time in seven games the Hawks have recorded double-digit hits and the second-most runs scored in a game this season. Huntingdon scored 20 runs in a win over Capital on Feb. 26.

"We're hitting the ball more consistently the past few games," Huntingdon baseball coach D.J. Conville said. "Our hitting is something we've worked on all season and we've been seeing improvement. The players are getting more confidence at the plate and we're swinging the bats well. Every game is an opportunity for us to get better and our goal is to get better and better throughout the season."

The two teams play again on Saturday in a doubleheader at Posey Field. Game 1 is set for 2 p.m.

In Friday's game, six Hawks recorded multiple hits, six players had multiple RBIs and five players scored at least two times.

Austin White led Huntingdon with three hits, four RBIs and two runs. White had RBIs in the first, third, fourth and seventh innings. Grant Brown had three hits, two RBIs and a run. Evan Agnew and Keegan Lambeth each had three RBIs. Agnew scored three times and Lambeth scored once.

Catcher Joseph Odom had two hits, two RBIs and two runs, including a two-run blast to left field for his third home run of the season. Trey Smith had two hits, an RBI and three runs and Tyler Blackwell had two hits, two RBIs and a run. Jordan Freeman had two hits and scored once and Seth Currie scored twice. Grant Hayes, Chad Baxley and Kevin Plyler each scored once.

A two-run first inning got the Hawks started and a five-run third inning put Huntingdon firmly in control. Smith, White and Blackwell each had RBI singles in the inning and Agnew had a two-run triple. Odom's home run and a two-run triple by Lambeth highlighted the fifth inning as Huntingdon took a 13-1 lead.

Kevin Aaron (2-0) picked up the win, striking out six, walking four, giving up two hits and allowing one run in five innings. Aaron and relievers Craig Brown and Mitchell Luckie combined to allow three hits, strike out nine and walk nine.

Vinnie Birk took the loss for Blackburn (3-5) in six innings.