Defiance Softball Ends Season With Sweep

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College softball team ended the 2015 season with a pair of victories against non-conference foe Oberlin College, 4-1 and 9-1 in six innings, at Sal Hench Field.

In game one, Defiance (9-25) jumped out early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning on three RBI doubles by senior Brittany Shough (DeGraff/Riverside), freshman Kaity Kuhn (Celina) and fellow freshman Kristin Aslanian (Trenton, Mich./Trenton).  The Yellow Jackets added to their lead with a run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly by junior Makayla McAvoy (Mt. Gilead) making the score 4-0.  Oberlin (6-28-2) scored a run in the top of the sixth on a fielding error, but the three-run lead would be all DC needed as the Yellow Jackets shut the door and went on to win by the final of 4-1.

DC totaled six hits in the game, all by different players.  Shough, Kuhn, Aslanian all finished one-of-three at the plate.  Shough and Kuhn also scored a run in addition to their RBIs.  Senior Tori Plummer (Perrysburg) and junior Megan Pleskovic (Strongsville) went one-of-three and scored a run and freshman Calli Bauer (Galion) rounded out the hitters going one-of-three.

On the hill, freshman Sarah Kaya (Lorain/Clearview) got the start and went the distance to claim her fifth win of the season to end the year with a 5-12 overall mark.  In seven innings, Kaya allowed just an unearned run on four hits and struck out eight batters. 

In game two, Oberlin grabbed the early lead with a run in the top of the first inning on a double.  The Yeowomen took their one-run advantage into the bottom of the third when DC plated three runs thanks to a defensive error and a two-RBI single by Kuhn to give the Jackets  3-1 lead.  DC added runs in the fourth and fifth innings with a RBI triple by freshman Haley Patty (Bradford) and a RBI double by sophomore Megan Warren (Mason) to make it a 5-1 ball game.  The Yellow Jackets then opened the flood gates with a four-run sixth that included a two-RBI double by Patty putting the eight-run mercy rule into effect as DC went on to the 9-1 final and the doubleheader sweep.

Patty lead all hitters totalling three of the team's eight hits finishing three-of-three overall with two runs scored and three RBI.  Five other players each recorded a hit in the win, including Kuhn who's only hit was the two-run single to finish with two RBI.  Warren went one-of-three in addition to the RBI.

Junior pitcher Alli Rowland (Westerville/North) made her second start of the season and pitched all six innings to get the win.  She allowed just the lone run on five hits.