Huntingdon earns first sweep of the season

LAGRANGE, Ga. – The Huntingdon softball team used two big innings to take control in both games of a doubleheader sweep of LaGrange on Thursday.

The Lady Hawks scored eight runs in the final inning of Game 1 to win 11-3 and scored six runs in the sixth inning of Game 2 to win 8-3.

Alyssa Singleterry led Huntingdon with six hits in the doubleheader and finished the day 6-for-9 with three RBIs and two runs. Katie Dewey was 4-for-7 with an RBI and a run, Maggie Porter had three hits, four runs and an RBI and McKenzie Ridgway had three hits, three runs and an RBI. MacKenzie Smelley had a three-run home run and finished with four RBIs and three runs.

In Game 1, Huntingdon took advantage of six LaGrange errors to score 10 runs in the final two innings. Trailing 3-1 in the sixth inning, Amari Fleming scored on an error and Porter scored on an RBI by Katie Lee to tie the game 3-3.

In the top of the seventh inning, an RBI single by Ridgway scored Singleterry to give Huntingdon the lead. Dewey scored on an error to give Huntingdon a two-run lead and Ridgway scored on a RBI single by Porter to make it 6-3.

Smelley and Porter both scored on separate errors before a two-run single by Singleterry scored Amber Wade and Paige Taylor. Rayne Ellis scored the final run on an error.

Winning pitcher Madison Hunt (1-2), who pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh.

Porter scored the first run of the game on an RBI single by Ellis. Singleterry and Dewey each had three hits in Game 1 and Ellis and Porter each had two hits.

In Game 2, Huntingdon took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Ridgway scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Smelley and Smelley scored on an RBI double by Taylor. But LaGrange answered and took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning, Porter scored on an error to tie the game. With Ridgway and Carly Cincotta on base, Smelley hit a three-run homer to give Huntingdon the lead for good. An RBI single by Singleterry scored Ellis and Singleterry scored on an RBI single by Dewey to close the scoring.

Lindsey Selph (2-1) pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to get the win. Selph, who made an appearance in each game, finished the day with eight strikeouts, four walks, three hits and two earned runs allowed in seven innings.

Singleterry had three hits in Game 2 and Ridgway had two hits.

Records: Huntingdon (3-5); LaGrange (2-4)

Coming Up: Huntingdon hosts Centenary in a doubleheader on Saturday. Game 1 is set for noon.