Late Rally Earns Home-opening Split
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College softball team finished their home opener slate in a split with Heidelberg University this afternoon, falling in game one 7-6 before taking the nightcap 6-5.
The Yellow Jackets took the early lead in game one after two innings. Leadoff batter Emma Perry singled to right center before Arianna Richards stepped up to the plate to deliver a single putting Perry on third. Jackie Hartman doubled to deep right center in the second inning, sending Richards and Perry home.
An inning later, the Student Princes would earn a slight edge, tallying three runs on the board after a McKee three-run homerun sailed over left center fence. Another single added to the Heidelberg advantage, making the score 4-2 after three frames.
HU continued to press Defiance, notching a second homerun in the fourth to make it 5-2, but the Purple and Gold refused to back down. With one out in the fourth inning, Jordan Osborne capitalized on a fielding error, earning a RBI double to score Hartman before Kaity Kuhn singled to center field, bringing around Osborne and Haley Patty to equalize at 5-5.
In the fifth, the Student Princes homered for the third time in the game, retaking the lead at 6-5. That would be answered by Gostomsky, reaching on a fielder's choice then advancing to second on an error. Kuhn would also advance on the play, racking up a sixth run.
Going into the bottom of the final inning, Heidelberg held the 7-6 lead after scoring in the seventh. The Yellow Jackets could not convert in the seventh, ultimately falling in game one.
Game Two
Heidelberg took the early 1-0 lead in game two but it wouldn't be long before Perry evened the score thanks to an RBI single from Hartman.
HU scored a single run in the third and continued to build their advantage with another pair in the fifth just before DC switched into high gear. Kuhn would start the run, stealing home on a passed ball before a Mariah Huff single to center brought around Gostomsky to close the gap at 4-3.
Dominate defense from the Yellow Jackets would hold Heidelberg to no runs and no hits in the sixth, allowing them to return to offense where they would go up 6-4 on the Student Princes. Kuhn's RBI single to shortstop sent Richards home and a huge two-run RBI from Huff gave DC their first lead of the game.
Heidelberg would attempt a comeback, adding one run in the seventh but would fall short, giving the Yellow Jackets a 6-5 victory.
The Purple and Gold are back on the field tomorrow, Friday, March 23 as they host Albion College at the Sal Hench Field. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3:30PM.