DC Rolls Past Findlay, 9-1

FINDLAY, Ohio – Defiance scored a run in each inning on its way to a 9-1 rout of the University of Findlay, taking advantage of seven Oiler errors to win in five innings. The Jackets stopped a three-game skid with the victory, improving to 7-4 while Findlay drops to 7-2 on the year.

Justine Johnston recorded the victory for Defiance, giving up one on five hits in a complete-game effort. The senior pitcher picked up her fourth win of the season, tying Cheryl Billow's DC record for the most career victories with 51.

The Jackets got its offense going early against the NCAA Division II Oilers, jumping out to an early lead with a score in the first. Tasha Stucke reached on an error to open up the contest, before scoring on Aarika Davis' single to center. Findlay was able to get out of the inning without further damage, but Johnston would put the Oilers down in order in the bottom half of the inning to set the stage for DC's three-run second.

Stucke drove in Defiance's first run of the second inning, scoring pinch runner Katelyn Samples to put the Jackets out in front, 2-0. DC would put two more across in the inning, as Mallory Faling plated Stucke and Marah Robinson with a double to center field.

Findlay scored its only run of the contest in the bottom of the second, but a RBI single by Amanda Auzins in the third pushed Defiance's lead back to four, 5-1.

The Jackets added another run in the fourth on Melanie Bushman's single in the gap, before closing out the contest with a three-run explosion in the fifth to invoke the run-rule. Relief pitcher Brittany Dauterman lost her command in the fifth, as Faling, Bushman and Davis each drew bases-loaded walks to help DC bring home the victory.

 Defiance tallied six hits and seven bases on balls in the contest, scoring more than five runs for the sixth time this season. Faling led the Jackets with three RBI on 1-of-2 hitting, while Bushman pushed her team-leading hitting streak to seven games.

Defiance will be back in action this Saturday, March 21, when it hosts Heidelberg College for the Jackets' home opener at Sal Hench Field. The opening game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.