Huntingdon softball splits with Spring Hill in first home games of the season

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Holly Ostrander bunted in Aleah Payne in the bottom of the 11th inning to help the Huntingdon softball team win its home opener on Wednesday. The 8-7 win over Spring Hill was followed by a 6-5 loss to the Badgers in Game 2.

Huntingdon (8-7) had opened the season with 13 straight road games.

Payne led the Lady Hawks in Game 1, finishing 3-for-5 with three RBIs and four runs. Payne hit a two-run homer in the first inning to bring in Huntingdon's first two runs. Trailing by a run in the seventh inning, the senior shortstop tied the game to force extra innings. Payne reached base on a bunt and was able to score from first on a Spring Hill error.

The Badgers went ahead 7-5 in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, Payne doubled in Melissa McClure. Payne then scored on an Ostrander bunt to tie the game. Ostrander and Payne came through again in the 11th inning to end the game.

Earlier in the game, trailing 3-2 in the third inning, Huntingdon's Lauren Welch drew a bases-loaded walk to score Brittany Richardson and tie the game. In the fourth inning, Richardson doubled in Kari Ranczka to give Huntingdon its first lead of the game. Spring Hill answered and led 5-4 entering the seventh inning.

Ostrander finished the game with two hits and two RBIs and Richardson had two hits, an RBI and two runs.

In Game 2, two Huntingdon errors, a Spring Hill triple and a sacrifice fly allowed the Badgers to score three runs and take the lead for good in the top of the sixth.

The Lady Hawks had taken a 5-3 lead with four runs in the second inning and one in the fifth. A three-run home run by Morgan Goshorn tied the game 3-3 in the second. Bree Giordana singled in Chasity Ward to make it 4-3. In the fifth, Ostrander doubled to center field to score Payne.

Ostrander was the only Huntingdon player with multiple hits in the second game, finishing with two hits, an RBI and a run.

Giordana took the loss for Huntingdon, striking out eight, allowing nine hits and three earned runs in seven innings. Kathryn Ingles picked up the win for the Badgers.

McClure pitched all 11 innings to pick up the win in Game 1. Linsey Dickerson took the loss for Spring Hill.

Huntingdon (1-0 Great South Athletic Conference) hosts Salem in a GSAC doubleheader on Saturday. Game 1 is set for 1 p.m.