Defiance splits for second straight day in Florida

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - For the second straight day, the Yellow Jackets softball team split its double header in the Rebel Spring Games in Central Florida, falling to Hiram and bouncing back with a win over Albion in game two.

The Yellow Jackets were unable to put any offense together for the second straight day in their first game. Following Defiance being shut out in the first game yesterday, DC was also held without a run in the first game Monday.

Hiram worked its way to a victory with seven runs in the game.

In game two, the bats came alive for the Yellow Jackets right away, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to never look back. Maggie Neanen led off the inning with a single down the left field line and quickly moved to third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Brittany Shough that resulted on base runners on second and third by way of a fielding error from the Albion first baseman.

After an infield ground out that held the base runners at second and third, Kailea Holbrook put Defiance on the scoreboard with an RBI single up the middle. Megan Pleskovic then grounded out to shortstop, but it allowed Shough to score from third for DC's second run.

After Macy Ferrall reached on an error to put runners on the corners, Sandra Hubler hit an RBI single to right, scoring Holbrook and giving DC a 3-0 lead after one.

The Yellow Jackets were right back at it in the bottom of the second, extending the lead to five with two more runs. Tori Plummer reached to lead off the inning and took second and third on consecutive ground outs. Megan Warren came up with a big two-out RBI single down the left field line to score Plummer for the first run.

After Warren took second on a wild pitch, she came around to score on a Holbrook single to right, giving Defiance a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Albion scored a run in the top of the third, but the Yellow Jackets answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning. Hubler started the bottom of the third with a lead off single. Katie Haydett pinch ran for Hubler and took second base on a sacrifice bunt from Ashley Gordon.

Makayla McAvoy then pinch hit for Plummer and took advantage of the opportunity with a RBI single down the right-field line, scoring Haydett from second to put Defiance up 6-1

Warren gave Defiance another lead off base runner in the fourth inning with a walk. Erica Truitt pinch ran for Warren and later scored on a wild pitch.

In the sixth inning, Warren got on base again with a one-out double to left field and scored on the next at bat when Holbrook doubled. Holbrook finished 3-for-4 in the game with three RBIs. Warren was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs.

Lauren Dicke pitched all seven innings in the game to pick up her first win of the season. Dicke finished with four runs, three earned, given up and had four strikeouts.

The Yellow Jackets will take a day off before returning to action against Thomas More and Simpson on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. against Thomas More.