Huntingdon opens conference play with sweep of LaGrange

LAGRANGE, Ga. – The Huntingdon softball team opened conference play with a pair of wins in a doubleheader at LaGrange on Thursday.

Huntingdon won the first game 8-0 in five innings and completed the sweep with a 3-2 win in the final game.

Junior pitcher Madison Hunt picked up the win in both games and finished the day with eight strikeouts and no walks, gave up 10 hits and allowed two unearned runs in 10 2/3 innings.

In Game 1, Hunt and Ashley Carroll combined for a five-inning one-hitter. Hunt struck out six and gave up one hit in 3 2/3 innings before Carroll pitched the final 1 1/3 innings. In Game 2, Hunt put together her ninth complete game of the season, striking out two and allowing nine hits.

With a 10-2 record this season, Hunt is tied for the second most wins in the USA South Athletic Conference this season.

In the two games, Caitlyn Caffee, Kaci Cochran, Alyssa Singleterry and Sydney Conville combined for nine of Huntingdon's 14 hits, seven of the Lady Hawks' 10 RBIs and six of the team's 11 runs.

Caffee finished 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, a double two RBIs and two runs and Cochran was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a double. Singleterry had two hits, three runs and a triple and Conville had two hits, three RBIs and a double.

In Game 1, Huntingdon (17-9, 2-0 USA South) scored six runs in the first inning to take control. A two-run double by Cochran opened the scoring and Caffee's two-run homer closed the inning's scoring. In between, Conville brought in one run on a bunt and Hannah Vines reached on a fielder's choice to bring in another run.

Huntingdon made it a 7-0 game in the second inning and took an 8-0 lead in the third inning.

Caffee finished the first game 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs and Cochran was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Rayne Ellis and Vines each had one RBI and one run, Singleterry scored two runs, Conville and Madison Perryman each had one RBI and McKenzie Ridgway scored one run.

In Game 2, Huntingdon built a 3-0 lead and held off LaGrange (6-8, 2-4 USA South). Singleterry scored the first run of the game on an error in the first inning. In the top of the fifth inning, Conville doubled to drive in Ridgway and Annie Nolan to make it a three-run game.

LaGrange answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Leading by a run, Hunt and the Huntingdon defense only allowed one LaGrange player to reach base in the final two innings.

Records: Huntingdon (17-9, 2-0 USA South); LaGrange (6-8, 2-4 USA South)

Coming Up: Huntingdon returns to action with a conference doubleheader at home against Berea on Saturday. Game 1 of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.