Yellow Jackets Drop Doubleheader to First-Place Pioneers

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Defiance College softball team dropped to 4-6 in conference play with a pair of losses at league-leading Transylvania on Friday, April 16. The team was shutout, 2-0, in the first game before falling, 10-5, in the second contest.

Transylvania's Kendra DeArk pitched a gem for the Pioneers in the opening game of the doubleheader, allowing no hits and just one walk while picking up 15 strikeouts in the contest.

The Yellow Jackets came close to putting some runs on the board in the second inning, with the first three runners reaching base safely to load the bases with no outs, but the next two batters would strike out before a grounder to the pitcher left the three base runners stranded.

Kelly Schnipke pitched well for Defiance in the game, holding the Pioneers to just one earned run in six innings, but dropped to 5-5 on the year as the Jackets failed to give her any offensive support.

DeArk got the start for Transylvania in the second contest as well, and the Yellow Jackets were ready for her this time.

DC's Tasha Stucke started the game with a double to left field, and reached third on a well-placed bunt up the middle by Aarika Davis. Marah Robinson then picked up her 25th RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to center field to put Defiance up, 1-0. Two batters later, Katie Miller doubled to left center field to bring in Davis and make it a two-run game.

Unfortunately for the Jackets, Transylvania matched with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by Megan Mitchell to tie the game, 2-2, going into the second inning.

The Jackets regained the lead in the top of the third inning as Stucke led off the inning with a walk, and eventually reached home on Miller's second RBI of the game, a single to left field. However, Transylvania matched the Yellow Jackets once again with one run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, 3-3, at the end of the third.

The Pioneers would go on to outscore the Jackets, 7-2, over the next three innings to jump out to a five-run lead, and secure the win to remain atop the HCAC standings with a 6-0 mark in the conference.

Defiance will hit the diamond again tomorrow in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a doubleheader against Mount St. Joseph (7-17, 0-8 HCAC). The first game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.