Hawks open conference play with win over LaGrange

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon baseball team put together a season-high 20 hits and opened USA South Athletic Conference play with a 9-2 win over LaGrange on Friday night.

Huntingdon started the game with five straight singles, sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the first inning to take control. The Hawks took a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning, a 7-1 lead in the sixth and led 9-1 after eight innings.

Taylor Fought, Will Cosby, Garrett Headley and Bradley Harris combined for 14 of the Hawks' 20 hits. Fought was 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs, Cosby was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run, Headley was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run and Harris was 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Jud Owens finished with two hits and run, Joseph Calvert had a triple, an RBI and a run, Garrett Breland had an RBI and a run and Wes Powell and Dakota Beane each scored one run.

Huntingdon pitchers Carden Mellown and Ethan Hess combined for eight strikeouts and held the Panthers to five hits. Mellown (3-1) picked up the win in seven innings, striking out six, walking four, scattering four hits and allowing one earned run. Mellown carried a one-hitter into the sixth inning.

Hess pitched the final two innings, striking out two, walking three, giving up one hit and one earned run.

Records: Huntingdon (9-4, 1-0 USA South); LaGrange (7-9, 1-3 USA South)

Coming Up: Huntingdon and LaGrange's three-game conference series continues on Saturday with Game 2. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.