In the past few Huntington softball games, head coach Mike McAnally has been able to rely on hitting to win the games.

Wednesday he relied on the defense to keep his team undefeated with a record

of 9-0.

Behind pitcher Lindsey Kay Paul’s three- strikeout, three-hit performance, the Huntington Hounds beat the Franklin Academy Cougars 4-2.

It was one of the few games this season in which the Hounds have had to play an entire seven inning match, but McAnally said Paul’s pitching and the Hound defense was the key to the game.

&uot;We had some plays we should have made,&uot; McAnally said. &uot;But we overcame the errors and that is the sign of a

good team.&uot;

The Hounds got a big defensive boost from right fielder Erin Hedrick in the sixth inning.

Hedrick caught a fly ball in shallow right and flung the ball to first to double-up a Cougar runner.

Her double play came with runners on first and second, with no outs.

Hedrick then recorded the final out of the inning when she crashed into the fence behind first base to catch a foul ball.

The Cougars made the game close, loading the bases in the top of the seventh inning and then scoring twice.

Emily Hazlip scored the Hounds’ first run of the game in the first inning on a passed ball by the Cougar catcher.

The Hounds’ next run came in the third inning on a Hedrick sacrifice which scored Tiffany Ferguson.

The Hounds got what proved to be the winning runs in the fifth inning on a Hedrick two-run double.

The tight game was no surprise to McAnally.

&uot;She (Cougar pitcher Stephanie Joiner) pitched against us in the first game of the year and held us to one hit,&uot; McAnally said. &uot;I thought it may have just been early season jitters, but she is a good pitcher.&uot;

Hedrick was the Hounds’ spark on offense and defense. She was 2-2 at the plate with a sacrifice and 3 RBI.

Lauren Wagoner was 1-3 with a double and Emily was 1-3 with a triple.

Paul had 3 strikeouts, allowed three hits and had four walks to earn her eighth win of the year.