FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The HU baseball team claimed the series sweep over Saint Francis (9-23, 6-8) Tuesday afternoon with a pair of wins, 5-0, 11-2, at the ASH Centre with their first W, a 7-0 decision, on April 2. The Foresters have now notched nine straight wins and remain unblemished in league play at 9-0.
Mason Shinabery had a masterful performance on the hill for the complete-game win in the opener. A single in the fifth was the only thing standing between him and a no-hitter. The sophomore ace also handed out just one free pass while striking out ten in his seven innings of work.
Shinabery’s teammates provided more than enough firepower at the plate to back him up for HU’s second shutout over the Cougars. Huntington struck three times in their opening bat for the early 3-0 advantage. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Jamar Weaver singled up the middle to drive in both teammates before eventually coming around to score on a well-executed double steal.
Weaver scored again in the sixth. He opened up the frame with a double and after stealing third, motored home on a passed ball. Nick Davit was intentionally walked and then followed Weaver’s lead, stealing second and advancing to third on the passed ball, before tagging up on Jake Hansen’s sacrifice fly for the game’s final run.
HU finished with nine hits, three from Weaver and two by Donovan Clark.
Pitching was again on point for the Foresters in the nightcap. Connor West got the nod on the hill and tossed the first four innings to pick up the win. He gave up just one hit and three walks while striking out eight. Colton Punches offered four innings of relief, giving up five hits and two runs, while Alex McCutcheon pitched a scoreless ninth.
Frame’s crew scored in each of the first four frames to take a commanding 7-0 lead and then piled on four more in the ninth with USF, in the meantime, finally getting on the board twice in the eighth.
It was a joint effort offensively with Dan Lichty leading the way. The third baseman logged two run-scoring hits, including an RBI-triple in the second, to go along with a sacrifice fly to finish with three RBI. Tyler Zimske and Adrian Perez each collected a pair of RBI-base pokes.
Adam Roser, Weaver and Hansen also claimed an RBI-hit in a game that saw HU outhit their hosts 14-7. Roser added two more hits to his total to finish 3-for-4 at the plate in addition to scoring three times.
On the day, the Foresters finished with nine stolen bases, posted 23 hits to USF’s eight and struck out seven times while drawing five walks in their 16 innings of ball.
HU (11-12) returns to Forest Glen tomorrow to host IWU for a single nine with opening pitch at 4:30 p.m.