Hawks Run Rule Covenant to Complete CCS Sweep

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Huntingdon (22-6 overall, 6-2 CCS) defeated Covenant College (8-15 overall, 2-6 CCS) in today's Faculty/Staff Appreciation double header.

Game 1: Huntingdon 12 – Covenant 0

Crimson Wells earned her third win this season as she started the game for the Hawks and held Covenant to one hit and no runs for the game.

A two run first inning for the Hawks was sponsored by two singles from Natalie Ritchey and Brooke Stefankiewicz to shoot up 2-0. After another run in the second the Hawks found momentum heading into the third inning as Ritchey reached on a bunt and stole second (her second stolen base of the night, she currently sits second in division three for stolen bases with 34 on the year). With an error from the Scots second baseman, Maddie Grace Hubbard reached first and Stefankiewicz and Keelyn Johnson crossed the plate for two more runs (5-0). Sophomore Miranda Treadway ended the scoring for Huntingdon with a one run single to bring in Hubbard before heading back to the field.

The bottom of the fourth inning brought a staggering six runs in for the Hawks as Wells continued to shut out the Scots. Ritchey earned her third hit of the game to advance Ellie Lorance to third. Dani Holt stepped in to pinch hit for Stefankiewicz and hit a two-run single to second base (8-0). With runners on second and third, Jordan Holman smacked a single to center field to bring them both in and give the Hawks a 10-0 advantage (Holman currently ranks 8^th in Division three in total hits with 41 before today's games). Treadway followed up Holman with the first double of the day two bring in the final two runs for the Hawks.

Holly Sharp stepped into the circle in relief of Wells to close out the fifth inning with the first three batters to complete the run rule win over Covenant.

Hawks Top Performers:

#16 Natalie Ritchey – 3-3, 2 Runs, 3 SB

#6 Miranda Treadway – 3-3, 3 RBIs, 2B

Pitching:

#10 Crimson Wells – 4.0 IP, 1 Hit, BB, 3 K

Game 2 : Huntingdon 8 – Covenant 0

The Hawks bats connected in the second inning with three hits. The first coming from a Maddie Grace Hubbard single to start the inning and Ellie Lorance singled for runners to be on the corners. Katie Burch came in to pinch hit for Kamryn Miller and she singled to score both runners and lift the Hawks up 2-0. Miller re-entered for Burch on first and tallied the Hawks 100^th stolen base this year, the team currently sits second in the DIII softball for stolen bases (one stolen base behind first place).

Brooke Cooper earned her start on the mound and her sixth win this season as she leads Huntingdon's pitchers with the most wins this year. Cooper continually shut out the Scots inning after inning and sent her team back to the plate. In the third, back-to-back doubles from Bailey Murphy and Jordan Holman sparked two more runs (4-0).

Following a quiet fourth inning, the Hawks looked to end the game in the fifth, all they needed was four more runs which deemed easy as Huntingdon ranks fourth in Division III Softball in total runs with 193.

Three singles to load the bases from Murphy, Holman, and Hubbard left Miranda Treadway to follow suit and bring in Murphy with a single to left field (5-0). Riley Rudick took her turn at the plate with an RBI single; and a fielder's choice left Hubbard out at home with two outs on the Hawks. It would be Natalie Ritchey who ended the game with a walk-off single to center field that brought in the final two runs that run ruled the Scots of Covenant.

Hawks Top Performers:

#12 Bailey Murphy – 2-3, 1 Run, 2B

#16 Natalie Ritchey – 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2B

#15 Maddie Grace Hubbard – 2-2, 1 Run, RBI, SB

#24 Jordan Holman – 2-3, 2 Runs, RBI, 2B

Pitching

#42 Brooke Cooper – 5.0 IP, 3 Hits, K

Hawks Softball returns to action on Tuesday at LaGrange College for a doubleheader against the Panthers starting at 2:00 PM CT.