Foresters come up big in nightcap to split with Goshen

GOSHEN, Ind. - The Forester softball team split with Goshen (19-10, 11-5) Thursday afternoon, dropping game one 3-0 before roaring back in the nightcap with an 11-2 win.

Alisyn Catenacci never let the Foresters get anything started in the opener. She gave up only three hits to the bat of Breanna Hines, Khloee Gregory and Audrey Barnes and issued just one walk for the shutout. In addition to her dazzling performance on the bump, Catenacci also bolstered Goshen' offense with a two-run dinger in the sixth to solidify the win.

Karlee Franklin took the loss for HU. The bottom line for her included giving up six hits, three runs and two walks while striking out two.

The start of the nightcap looked like a continuation of game one with the hosts taking an early 2-0 lead and HU unable to get their bats going. After posting three hits through the first four innings, Huntington's bats finally came to life to turn the tides.

The Foresters more than doubled their hits for the game in the fifth starting with Jessica Duvall's base poke to kick off frame. Gena Moore and Courtney Mason kept things with back-to-back singles with HU's first run coming on a throwing error on Mason's at bat. Breanna Hines stepped up to the plate next to deliver an RBI-single to tie things up at 2-2.

The Foresters blew the game open in the sixth. They cashed in on six hits, a walk and a little help from GC to the tune of seven runs. Moore and Gregory each singled in a run after which Carlie Tharp roped a shot into right for a three-run triple. In the midst of the hit fest, HU also found home on a wild pitch and scored another run on a throwing error.  

Hines and Gregory weren't quite done yet as they each drove in a run in the seventh for good measure.

Huntington pounded out 16 hits with Tharp piling up three, two for extra bases, and knocking in just as many. Hines and Gregory added two base pokes apiece, with each hit driving in a run.  Moore, Jessica Duvall and Kinsey Westerhouse also finished with two hits each.

Maddie Turner had another great outing in the circle to enjoy the complete-game win. She struck out five while giving up three hits, two runs and five walks.  

With this split, HU moves to 12-17 overall, 7-11 in league play. The Foresters hit the road for Mount Vernon on Tuesday.   

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 17 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 125 NAIA All-America honors and 449 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Reportranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.