BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Even below-freezing temperatures could not slow down HBU's hot offense, as the Huskies scored 13 runs on 17 hits en route to a 13-8 victory over Valparaiso Friday in the first of two games today on the opening day of the Samford Tournament.
HBU (4-7) is on a three-game winning streak and has outscored its opponents, 35-8, in the process.
The Huskies had three players register at least three hits in the ballgame, led by
Nicole Shedd, who went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.
Cecilia Bauer and
Victoria Granchelli each had three-hit games, as Bauer scored three times and V. Granchelli had two RBIs and two runs scored.
Alyssa Burnett went 2-for-4 and her three RBIs was tied for the game high.
Laci Belovsky (4-2) started and earned the win in the circle, as she allowed 12 hits, eight runs, and one walk while striking out four in 4.1 innings.
Emily Mueller tossed the final 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit and one walk while whiffing one.
Tarah McShane and Lindsey Norway led Valpo (2-4) with three RBIs apiece, as McShane went 2-for-4 at the plate and Norway went 1-for-4. Brenna Boyle took the loss in the circle, as she allowed 10 hits, eight runs (six earned), and two walks while striking out one in 2.1 innings. Ashlyn Montgomery relieved Boyle and gave up seven hits and five runs in 3.2 innings.
HBU scored a run in the first five innings to get a quick lead. The Huskies used a three-run, five-hit bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead.
The Huskies posted another three-spot in the bottom of the second to take a 6-0 lead, highlighted by Burnett's two-run single.
HBU scored twice in the bottom of the third to lead, 8-0. The Crusaders answered with a four-run top of the fourth to cut the deficit in half, 8-4. McShane led off the inning with a home run and Valpo had six hits in the innings to get back into the game.
The Huskies got two of the runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run double by
Caitlin Gunn to take a 10-4 lead, but Valpo put another four-spot in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to 10-8, highlighted by another home run by McShane – this one a two-run blast.
HBU answered with a three-run bottom of the fifth to increase its lead 13-8.
Melissa Herman, V. Granchelli, and Shedd each had an RBI in the inning. Mueller and the Huskies allowed only one run in the final two innings for the win.
HBU plays Alabama State today at 5:45 pm.
