Jackets Win First of Two in Second Day of Rebel Spring Games

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Defiance College softball squad moved to 3-1 on the season after it defeated the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets 8-6 in eight innings and fell to the Bridgewater Eagles 4-0. Waynesburg dropped to 1-2 with the loss, while Bridgewater improved to 5-2 with the victory over DC.

The first game of the afternoon was the battle of the Yellow Jackets. In an error-laden game, Defiance's defense surrendered six miscues in the field that gave the team a tougher path to victory. However, senior Katie Miller and the Jacket offense saved the day with an eighth-inning scoring spurt to take the lead and win in extra innings.

Outfielder Katie Miller came through in the clutch with a bases-clearing double in the top of the eighth inning. Miller finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBI and two scores. She has been knocking in runs left and right to a tune of 11 in the first three games of the spring trip.

Fellow veteran second baseman Maggie Neanen has also been a big part of the Jacket attack, as she cannot be kept off the base paths. The junior went 2-for-4 in the win with two runs and upped her batting average to .636 (7-for-11) three contests into the season.

Getting the start on the hill for DC was freshman Katie Patchin. The Bristol Local High product went 3.2 innings, surrendering six hits and one earned run, while striking out three. Coming in for relief during the fourth and earning the win was fellow first-year player Alli Rowland. She came in and kept the Waynesburg bats in check by holding them to only one hit and no earned runs over 4.1 frames. Rowland also fanned two batters in her time on the mound.

For the matchup with Bridgewater, the Yellow Jackets defense played better and had zero errors but the teams hot swinging bats went ice cold. Defiance was held to three hits and zero runs in the contest, after registering 29 runs on 39 hits during the first three games of the spring trip.

Receiving the loss for DC in the game was Kailea Holbrook. The junior hurler racked up six innings of work, while giving up seven hits and four earned runs. The loss moves her record to 1-1 on the year. In the seventh inning, sophomore Lauren Dicke came in relief and pitched a scoreless frame.

The Purple and Gold softball team will be off tomorrow and return to play on Wednesday, March 13. A tough task lies ahead of the team, as they will take on the No. 1 ranked team in the country in Montclair State at 9 a.m. DC will then be in action at 11 a.m. against the Albion Scots.