DC settles for split against Albion
ALBION, MICH. - The Defiance College softball team tried to rally in the seventh of game two but came up short as they had to settle for a split against Albion Wednesday afternoon up in Michigan. Defiance won the first game 9-6 and dropped game two 4-2.
The Yellow Jackets are now 8-15 overall and Albion is 11-11 overall.
Game one - Defiance 9, Albion 6
Both teams threatened to score in the first inning but both came up empty. Laney Grimwood and Brooke Silcox singled and were left stranded at first and third. Albion got the first two on base and a double play and pop out allowed DC to escape the jam.
Both offenses came alive in the third inning. The Yellow Jackets took advantage of an error and plated three for a 3-0 lead. Grimwood scored the first run of the game when Silcox reached on a fielder's choice and then Payton Mallett stepped to the plate and hit a home run to left center for her first collegiate home run. Albion answered with four in the bottom of the inning as they tagged DC starter Emma Rodgers for four runs on six hits.
The Britons added another run in the bottom of the fourth off of Savannah McCoy for a 5-3 lead. The Yellow Jackets, however, responded in a big way as they scored five in the fifth to reclaim the lead. DC scored five runs on four hits in the inning. Brooke Silcox led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a single by Mallett. Natalee Cooper came to the plate and walked to load the bases with no outs. Anna Emswiler drew a walk with the bases loaded to pick up her first RBI of the year. Also in the inning was a two-run double by Savannah McCoy, an RBI single by Laney Grimwood and an RBI groundout by Anika Craft to put DC back on top, 8-5.
Albion threatened with another rally again in the bottom of the fifth as the Britons had two on with just one out and McCoy worked out of it by striking out back-to-back batters. McCoy helped herself again at the plate in the sixth with another RBI double that scored Avery Roever. Albion loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh but was not able to push anymore runs across as DC held on for the 9-6 win.
Savannah McCoy led the Yellow Jackets in hits with three and RBIs with three including two doubles. McCoy (3-6) got the win on the mound pitching 4.0 innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs while striking out three. Emma Rodgers got the start and pitched the first 3.0 innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits while striking out one. Grimwood, Silcox, and Mallett had two hits each. All recorded at least one RBI as well. Mallett's two-run home run in the third was the first of her collegiate career.
Game two - Albion 4, Defiance 2
Pitching was the theme in this low scoring affair. The home team struck first with one run in the first inning. Albion loaded the bases with no outs but Riley Alcorn did a great job of getting out of the jam by allowing just the one run on a sacrifice fly. Brooke Silcox led off the fourth with a single and advanced to third later in the inning on a single by Natalee Cooper. Silcox scored to tie the game at one on a sacrifice fly by Ali Mowen.
DC loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth but could not cash in as Payton Mallett popped out to end the threat. Albion took advantage of an error by Madison Guggenbiller and scored three in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Two of the three runs in the inning were unearned.
The Yellow Jackets went down fighting to the end but they were only able to score once in the seventh and came up short. Anna Emswiler recorded her first hit of the year with a leadoff double and Avery Roever would score on an RBI single later in the inning. DC brought the winning run to the plate with one out but Mallett and Cooper both flew out to center to end it.
Silcox went 4-for-4 at the plate and finished the day 6-for-8 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Anika Craft added two hits. Riley Alcorn (1-4) got the starting pitching nod and took the loss pitching 4.1 innings, allowing four runs with two earned while striking out three. Craft pitched the final 1.2 innings, struck out three and did not allow a run.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets return to HCAC play this Saturday, April 13 with a trip to Franklin. Game one starts at 1 p.m.