Yellow Jackets Stumble Against Anderson

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- The Defiance College softball team suffered a pair of losses in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, falling to Anderson (Ind.) University, 1-0 and 9-0.

In game one, Anderson plated a run on an RBI-single to put Anderson ahead, 1-0. Defiance attempted to respond in the bottom half of the inning, as Brooke Gostomsky (Covington) singled and Haley Patty (Bradford) walked to put a runner in scoring position. They advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, but a popup ended the potential scoring threat. 

Kaity Kuhn (Celina) led off the fifth by being hit by a pitch, but a fly-ball double play ended the inning. Defiance left a runner on in the sixth but still posted another threat in the seventh. With one out, Jackie Hartman (Parma/Padua Franciscan) smoked a double to left field, with an error advancing her to third. Kuhn then walked to put two runners on base. DC could not capitalize, as the Anderson reliever got a strike out and a groundout to finish off the victory for the Ravens.

Junior Sarah Kaya (Lorain/Clearview) threw a complete game for the Yellow Jackets, surrendering one run on seven hits with four strikeouts despite suffering a loss, falling to 11-9 on the season.

Defiance finished the contest with three hits, getting one each from Jordan Osborne (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes), Gostomsky, and Hartman.

Anderson continued their pitching dominance in the nightcap, as Hadley Decker fooled the Yellow Jackets, not allowing a hit through four frames. The Ravens scored three in the third and another in the fifth to hold a 4-0 advantage.

Kuhn led off the fifth with a single, followed by a walk from Patty. Bauer reached base on a fielder's choice and Defiance had the bases loaded with no outs. But Anderson forced the next three DC batters to strike out, ground into a fielders' choice, and foul out to end the threat. Defiance left a runner on base in the sixth before Anderson scored five more runs in the seventh inning to cap off the sweep of the Yellow Jackets, earning a 9-0 win.

Sophomore Jamie Kimbler (Huber Heights/Wayne) threw 4.1 innings for DC, allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits. Freshman Sydney Zeuch (Mason/Mount Notre Dame) came on in relief, allowing five runs on six hits before Sydni Smith (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) got the final out for DC.

Kuhn picked up the lone hit for DC in game two, going one-for-three.

Defiance looks to rebound as they finish the regular season with a pair of key HCAC contests against Hanover (Ind.) College on Saturday, Apr. 29. It will be senior day and first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.