Giordana and McClure lead Huntingdon in sweep of LaGrange

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Senior Bree Giordana pitched a one-hit shutout and junior Melissa McClure threw a four-hitter to help the Huntingdon softball team sweep LaGrange on Tuesday.

Huntingdon took the first game 4-0 and won the second game 3-2. 

"Bree and Melissa pitched phenomenal games. Both of them were smart on the mound and our defense backed them up," Huntingdon head coach Gynger Williams said. "I was pleased with the intensity we played with today. This was the best intensity we've shown in back-to-back games this season. We knew these would be close games and we had to be ready."

Giordana (11-5) picked up the win in Game 1, striking out nine and walking two in seven innings. McClure struck out three and walked one in seven innings to get the win in Game 2. McClure carried a shutout into the seventh inning before a Huntingdon error set the stage for two unearned runs. McClure forced a ground out to end the game and preserve the win.

Jenna Rimensnyder led Huntingdon (20-9, 11-0 Great South Athletic Conference) at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs in the two games. She was the only Lady Hawk with multiple hits in either game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs in Game 1.

Huntingdon scored one run in the first, one in the second and two in the fifth to take the lead in Game 1. An Aleah Payne sacrifice fly scored Rimensnyder in the first inning and Lauren Welch hit a solo home run in the second inning. Rimensnyder drove in Giordana in the fifth inning and then scored on a single by Payne.

In Game 2, Huntingdon scored all three runs in the third inning. A Shelby Graham sacrifice fly scored Kari Ranczka for the first run. A Rimensnyder triple scored McClure to make it 2-0 and a Payne single brought Rimensnyder home to close the scoring.

Huntingdon returns to action at home on Friday against Birmingham-Southern. Game 1 of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.