HUNTINGTON, Ind. – The Huntington softball team rolled to a pair of identical 11-3 wins Thursday afternoon, ending both games an inning early via the mercy rule and capping off a perfect 4-0 season series against the Pilots to open the second round of Crossroads League play.
And for a dramatic finishing touch? Both games ended the same way — Kailee Bishop walk-offs.
Add it up, and HU has now won 11 straight over Bethel.
Game 1 – Huntington 11, Bethel 3 (6 innings)
The Foresters wasted no time setting the tone, erupting for seven runs in the first two innings and never looking back.
The Duvall twins sparked the offense with Jess Duvall's bunt that turned into two runs thanks to a Bethel error, followed by Maddie Duvall roping an RBI double to make it 3-0. An even bigger second inning followed as Kasey Hickle plated a run with a sac fly, Jess Duvall roped a two-run double, and Maddie Goheen added another RBI double to stretch the lead to 7-0.
Bethel scratched across three runs in the middle frames, but Huntington slammed the door shut in the sixth. Hickle knocked in another run, this time by way of an RBI single, Maddie Duvall stayed red-hot with a two-RBI double and moments later, Bishop delivered the knockout blow with a walk-off single to enforce the mercy rule.
HU piled up 11 hits, including five doubles, led by Jess Duvall's 2-for-4, four-RBI performance and Maddie Duvall's 3-for-3, three-RBI outing. Hickle added two RBI while Goheen chipped in another.
In the circle, Kinzie Mollenkopf was in command, tossing a complete game while striking out eight and allowing just two earned runs.
Game 2 – Huntington 11, Bethel 3 (6 innings)
Huntington again struck early, scoring three times in the first behind Goheen's RBI groundout and a two-run single from Gaby Hypes. The Pilots answered to tie things at 3-3 by the top of the third — the only time all day the outcome felt in doubt. That uncertainty didn't last long.
A five-hit third inning broke things wide open for HU. Akasha Burton, Josslynn Harbert, Makinzie Kline and Hickle all delivered RBI knocks to push the lead to 7-3.
From there, it was all Huntington. Kalyn Greene ripped an RBI triple in the fourth, and after stranding the bases loaded in the fifth, HU cashed in again in the sixth. Kline singled in a run and Jaylyn Shively recorded her first RBI in Forester green with a sac fly before Bishop once again ended things in style with a walk-off single.
The Foresters' bats were relentless, racking up a season-high 20 hits. Kline led the charge with a 4-for-5, two-RBI performance, while Hickle (3-for-3), Bishop (2-for-2), Hypes (2 RBI) and Burton (2 RBI) fueled the offensive explosion. Eight different players recorded an RBI.
Natalie Haselby earned the complete-game win, scattering eight hits, allowing three runs (two earned), and issuing no walks.
With the sweep, Huntington improves to 19-12 overall and 11-8 in league play, now boasting five games this season with double-digit run totals. The Foresters return to action Friday with a trip to Indianapolis to face #7 Marian at 2 p.m.
The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 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. Huntington has a top quartile ranking in the 2026 U.S. News Best Regional Universities Midwest Rankings.
