Lady Lancers pick up crucial sweep of Foresters
HUNTINGTON, Ind. – The week for Grace’s softball team ended on a high note as the Lady Lancers swept Huntington.
Grace had balanced production in every area of the game, beating the Foresters 6-4 and 10-2 on the road.
With the victories, the Lady Lancers (17-16, 10-8 Crossroads League) move one game out of third place in the league standings.
A strong first inning propelled Grace in the opener. The Lady Lancers kicked off the doubleheader with five runs in the first inning.
Five of the first six Lady Lancers reached base safely in the inning. Ashley Kleinbub and Kati Gregory singled in runs in back-to-back at-bats. With two outs, Olivia Scarbrough hit a two-run single, and Michaela Lee also produced a clutch RBI single.
Huntington responded with four runs in the bottom of the second, setting up a nervy rest of the contest.
In the top of the seventh, Grace tacked on an insurance run. Abby Mozingo reached base and was bunted over to second base. Chandler Elliott then singled through the infield, and Mozingo came around to score from second for the final 6-4 scoreline.
Hannah England pitched the final 5.2 innings, allowing just two hits with two strikeouts to mute the Foresters.
Elliott batted 3-for-4, and Gregory was also 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Mozingo plated twice, and Scarbrough drove in two runs.
The second game was a run-rule victory for Grace, ending after five innings. Grace had six players record a hit in the game and seven record an RBI.
Grace scored twice in the first inning, once in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.
Huntington rallied to plate twice in the bottom of the fourth, but Grace broke open the contest in the fifth.
Grace quickly loaded the bases in the top of the fifth and kept baserunners stocked for much of the inning. Hannah Herbster and Emily Bobb singled in runs, Clarissa Knight drew a bases-loaded walk, and Kleinbub was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced.
Erin Lawhon came in to pitch the final inning and got Huntington to retire 1-2-3 to complete the run-rule win.
England picked up the win from the mound, tossing four innings with two runs allowed and two hits.
Herbster was a sizzling 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Kleinbub drove in three runs. Mozingo, Knight and Lee each had a hit and two runs, and Gregory drove in two runs.
With Knight’s single to the left side of the infield, Knight became the program’s all-time leader in career hits. She has 261 hits currently to surpass Brooke Shell for No. 1 on the all-time list (260 hits, 2013-15).
The Lady Lancers return home on Tuesday, hosting St. Francis for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.