Yellow Jackets Lose Doubleheader Against Franklin (Ind.)

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College softball team lost both games of a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Franklin (Ind.) College, 7-1 and 9-2, on senior day at Sal Hench Field.

Franklin (21-13, 8-8 HCAC) began the day with a run in the top of the first inning of game one to take an early lead.  The Grizzlies then took control with a four-run third inning to make the score 5-0.  Both teams traded runs in the fourth with Defiance's (7-25, 1-15 HCAC) score coming on a solo homerun by sophomore Megan Warren (Mason) to begin DC's half of the inning.  Franklin scored the final run of the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly en route to the 7-1 final.

Defiance tallied six hits in the game with half of those hits coming from Warren who went a perfect three-of-three with the run scored and RBI.  Senior Brittany Shough (DeGraff/Riverside) and junior Katie Haydett (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) both recorded a hit and were one-of-three overall.  Freshman Kristin Aslanian (Trenton, Mich./Trenton) had the other hit for the Yellow Jackets in a pinch hit opportunity and ended the game one-of-one. 

Freshman pitcher Sarah Kaya (Lorain/Clearview) started the game and pitched two innings allowing five runs on six hits and had two strikeouts.  She was also the pitcher of record and fell to 4-12 overall with the loss.  Junior Alli Rowland (Westerville/North) saw her first action of the season following an injury that had sidelined her for the rest of the season and pitched five innings in relief giving up two runs, none earned, and six hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts.

In the nightcap, Franklin again scored the game's first run in the top of the first inning.  DC came right back with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a RBI ground out by Warren to tie the game at 1-1.  The Grizzlies broke the game open in the second with five runs which were part of a 7-0 run as Franklin tacked on two more runs in the third to lead 8-1.  The Yellow Jackets chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the third with a second RBI ground out by Warren making the score 8-2.  The deficit remained six runs for DC until the top of the sixth when Franklin plated the final run of the game and cruised to the 9-2 win and the two-game sweep.

Warren finished the game without a hit, but led the team in RBI with two.  Freshman Calli Bauer (Galion) was the lone multi-hitter with two hits in three attempts.  Freshman Kaity Kuhn (Celina) was one-of-three and Shough went one-of-two in addition to scoring a run.  Haydett recorded a hit in her only official at-bat and also had a run scored.

At pitcher, freshman Haley Patty (Bradford) got the nod and pitched three complete innings giving up eight runs, four earned, on eight hits.  She was also given the loss and is now 1-10 for the season.  Kaya came on in relief to finish the game and allowed one run on five hits and struck out four batters in four innings.

Defiance will wrap-up the 2015 season at home when DC hosts Oberlin College in a non-conference twinbill at Hench Field on Tuesday, Apr. 28.  The first game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.