Softball sweeps Bluffton in HCAC opener
BLUFFTON, Ohio - For the first time in ten days, the Defiance College softball team returned to action and opened Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play Saturday afternoon at Bluffton. The Yellow Jackets won both games, taking game one 12-4 in five innings and game two 5-2.
The Yellow Jackets improve to 6-13 overall and 2-0 in the HCAC. Bluffton falls to 6-18 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
Game one (W, 12-4 (5 inn))
DC exploded for nine first inning runs and took advantage of three Bluffton errors to take game one in dominating, run rule fashion. Laney Grimwood was hit by a pitch on the very first pitch of the game and later scored the first run of the game on a throwing error by Bluffton's shortstop. Brooke Silcox scored on a wild pitch, Payton Mallett scored on a sac fly by Natalee Cooper, Grimwood and Mallett both had two-run singles later in the inning and Silcox was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to round out the scoring in the first inning.
The Beavers plated three in the second inning as they tried to cut into the deficit. Bluffton got a two-run single and RBI groundout. The Yellow Jackets scored three more in the final two innings to put the run rule into play. Both teams would have to regroup in the fourth as there was a long stoppage of play due to an umpire injury. The stoppage did not have an effect on the Yellow Jackets as they went right back to work. Madison Guggenbiller and Savannah McCoy each had RBI singles in the inning.
DC added one more in the fifth on an RBI single by Mallett. That made the score 12-3 and that ended up being a huge run as Bluffton answered with one run in the bottom of the fifth. A potential runner to extend the game was thrown out at third on a nice play by Anika Craft, Cooper, Grimwood, and Silcox.
McCoy improved to 2-5 with the win, scattering seven hits on four runs with one strikeout. Mallett led the way in hitting with three hits and three runs batted in. McCoy, Silcox, and Grimwood had two hits each.
Game two (W, 5-2)
The Yellow Jackets once again jumped out on top in game two with two runs in the second inning. Natalee Cooper led off with a double and with one out, DC got back-to-back extra base hits for their two runs. Cooper scored on Guggenbiller's double and scored when McCoy smacked an RBI triple to right field. The triple by McCoy was DC's first three bagger of the season.
Bluffton took advantage of errors by Laney Grimwood and Avery Roever to tie the game at two in the bottom of the third. With runners still on first and third with just one out, Anika Craft struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied.
The Yellow Jackets plated three in the fifth to retake the lead. With the bases loaded and no outs, Brooke Silcox hit a ball to deep center field that narrowly missed being a grand slam and instead turned into a long RBI single. Natalee Cooper drew a bases loaded walk and Silcox scored on an RBI groundout by Savanah Bergman. Craft shut down the Bluffton offense in the final innings to win the game.
Craft struck out a season high 13 and improved to 3-2 with the win. She allowed two runs but both were unearned, walked one and only allowed three hits. Grimwood and Silcox had two hits each and Craft drew two walks in the game.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets are back at it tomorrow for two more HCAC games against Rose-Hulman. Game one is set for 1 p.m. at Sal Hench Field.
