Grenadiers Fell Foresters Saturday

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The IU Southeast softball team used a strong pitching performance from Madison Wathen in game one and an offensive explosion in game two to sweep Huntington 2-1 and 12-4 on Saturday.

In game one, the Grenadiers threatened to take an early lead with two runners on and no outs in the bottom of the first inning.

After Savannah Gaither reached on an error and Autumn Oehlstrom singled, a strikeout and a popout kept runners at first and second.

Cassi Roman drew a walk to load the bases but the Grenadiers could not get a hit with runners in scoring position.

IU Southeast finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Madison Wathen reached base on an error and Mckenzie Rice pinch ran for her.

She stole second and moved to third on a single to short by Macie Zink. Brynlea Bennett grounded out to short to drive in Rice but Zink was left stranded at second.

Jenessa Hasty led of the fifth for Huntington with a double but Wathen worked around that, striking out the next two batters and got a lineout to end the inning.

Autumn Oehlstrom doubled the Grenadier lead in the fifth when she hit a towering home run to right for her fourth home run of the season.

Khloee Gregory led off the top of the seventh for the Foresters with a triple to right. Natalie Haselby followed with a RBI single to cut the lead in half.

Pinch runner Kinsey Westerhouse stole second to put the tying run in scoring position but Wathen struck out Jocelyn Winebrenner and got a groundout for the second out of the inning.

A walk put runners at the corners but Jessica Duvall struck out swinging to end the game.

Madison Wathen (2-2) worked all seven innings, allowing one run on four hits. She walked three and struck out 14.

Autumn Oehlstrom, Erin Templeman and Macie Zink each had two hits in the win.

In game two, the Foresters struck first when Audrey Barnes singled to drive in Gena Moore.

The Grenadiers tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Cassi Roman singled to drive in Erin Templeman.

Macie Zink drew a walk to load the bases but a fly out ended the inning.

After Huntington took the lead in the top of the second, the Grenadiers responded with a pair of runs when Issy Wright singled and Oehlstrom homered to right.

IU Southeast blew the game open with a six-run third inning. Brynlea Bennett drove in Roman with a single and Savannah Gaither knocked in Zink with a fielder's choice. Autumn Oehlstrom drove in Wright a single and Templeman cleared the bases with a three-run home run to right center field to textned the lead to 9-2.

The Foresters scratched across a pair of runs in the fourth but IU Southeast had an answer again.

Brynlea Bennett singled to center to drove in Roman and Wright doubled to right to drive in Zink. A RBI groundout by Gaither drove in Bennett to cap off the rally.

Hannah Nunemaker retired the side in the fifth to seal the game.

Cassi Roman had three hits, Oehlstrom and Templeman each drove in three and had two hits and Bennett and Wright had two hits in the win.

IU Southeast hosts St. Mary-of-the-Woods to open conference play Friday at 1 p.m.