WINONA LAKE – Grace’s softball team was unable to solve the Huntington puzzle on Tuesday, falling 4-0 and 7-4 at Miller Field.

The Lady Lancers (15-17, 6-8 Crossroads League) were shut out in the opener after mustering just three hits against Huntington’s Emily Puterbaugh.

The game was scoreless through three innings. The Foresters (19-7, 12-2 CL) broke onto the scoreboard with three runs in the top of the fourth, benefiting from a pair of Grace fielding errors.

Grace did not record a hit in the game until Kyleigh Garner’s double in the bottom of the fourth. The Lady Lancers could not take advantage of Garner’s hit, however, are were retired with three straight fly outs.

In both the fifth and sixth innings, Grace moved a baserunner into scoring position. But the Lady Lancers failed to capitalize on each occasion, including an inning-ending double play in the fifth.

Garner batted 2-for-3 from the leadoff position, and Ashley Kleinbub was 1-for-3.Elaina McClellan got the start and gave up three runs in four innings. Chandler Elliott tossed the final three innings and allowed one run.

In the second game, Grace started ahead. In the first inning, the Lady Lancers’ speed caused Huntington problems. The Foresters committed two errors, and Grace took advantage with runs by Garner and Clarissa Knight.

The Foresters countered with a pair of three-run innings in the second and third. Huntington scattered seven hits across those two innings to claim a 6-2 lead.

Grace showed signs of life in the fourth inning. The first four batters of the inning hit safely. A Morgan Hutcheson single drove in Elliott, and Abby Mozingo’s single brought in Kleinbub. But Grace was unable to continue its rally with the bases loaded and ended the inning with two straight ground balls.

Huntington added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make the score 7-4, and Grace could not produce a late-game rally to prolong the game.

Kleinbub was 1-for-3 with a run and a double, and Elliott was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Sam Heim pitched a scoreless inning of relief in her second collegiate outing.

The Lady Lancers stay at home for the rest of the week. Grace hosts St. Francis on Friday at 3 p.m. and Bethel on Saturday at 1 p.m. for the “StriKeout Cancer Game.”