Craft named HCAC Pitcher of the Week

Defiance freshman Anika Craft has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week.

Craft threw 17.2 innings during Defiance's Spring Break trip to Florida and finished the week with a 0.79 ERA after allowing just three runs with two of them earned. Craft made two starts in the circle and pitched in relief twice and posted a 1-1 record with 20 strikeouts. 

The freshman made her collegiate debut in Defiance's 5-3 loss to The College of New Jersey and threw three shutout innings. Against Coe, Craft threw five shutout innings out of the bullpen and struck out eight and at one point retired ten straight batters. Craft made her first career start against SUNY Oswego and took the loss despite a solid outing in which she threw 4.2 innings and struck out five while surrendering three runs. 

Craft concluded the week with a complete-game shutout in an 18-0 win over Wisconsin-Platteville. Craft struck out six while allowing just three hits in the victory.

The Defiance softball team will face Wilmington on the road on Tuesday, March 22 in a doubleheader with Game 1 starting at 3 p.m.