Huntingdon earns fourth conference sweep of the season

FERRUM, Va. – The Huntingdon baseball team scored nine runs in the middle innings and knocked off Ferrum 15-7 on Sunday.

After winning the first game of the series 1-0 on Saturday, the Hawks scored 31 runs in the final two games to complete the sweep. In nine conference series this season, the Hawks have won seven, including four sweeps.

With one conference series remaining, Huntingdon (21-15, 19-8 USA South) is second in the USA South standings. Methodist (26-8, 18-6 USA South) is first in the conference standings and Averett (22-10, 16-8 USA South) is third.

In Sunday's win, the Hawks had a season-high 19 hits. Center fielder Patrick Kucera finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs. Left fielder Alec Raley was 3-for-6 with four RBIs and a run and first baseman Will Pharis was 3-for-6 with two RBIs and a run.

Shortstop Dakota Beane was 2-for-4 with three runs and a RBI and third baseman Jordan Freeman had two hits, two RBIs and a run. Trailing 2-1 in the fourth inning, Freeman hit a two-run home run to put the Hawks in front for good. Freeman has a conference-best eight home runs this season.

Designated hitter Anthony Spivey, who is third in the conference in home runs, hit his sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning. Spivey finished with two hits, a RBI and a run. Right fielder Gunnar Peters finished with two hits and two runs and catcher Clark Berry scored two runs. Second baseman Mason Throneberry had one RBI and one run.

Freshman Jared Gonzalez (6-2) picked up the win in six innings. Gonzalez struck out four, scattered eight hits and allowed four runs. Kucera pitched the final three innings to earn his second save of the season.

Huntingdon returns to action on Friday at Covenant at 3 p.m. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at noon.