McCoy, Craft sling a pair of gems in Yellow Jackets’ Sunday sweep

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. – Savannah McCoy and Anika Craft each went the distance in the circle to lead Defiance College to two more victories and finish DC softball's spring break trip on a three-game winning streak. Despite starting 0-11, the Yellow Jackets stacked up an 8-3 win over Asbury followed by a 5-0 victory against Wittenberg on the heals of Saturday's 10-5 win against DePauw at the Pioneer Classic hosted by Transylvania.

Game 1

Final: Defiance 8, Asbury 3 
Win: Savannah McCoy (1-5)
Loss: Kaylee Strunk (3-6)
Save: None
Box Score: Click here

McCoy (Win, 1-5) preserved an early Defiance lead and smashed a two-run homer of her own in the fourth frame to help lead the Jackets (2-11) to their first win of the day. She held the Eagles (5-14) to three runs on six hits despite four walks.

The Yellow Jackets got the offense in gear early and jumped all over Asbury starting pitcher Kaylee Strunk (Loss, 3-6) with a three-run top of the first. The inning started with three straight hits by Marissa Roberts, Brooke Silcox and Josilyn Guzman to create the first two runs of the contest. Guzman scored two batters later following a steal of third and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Anna Emswiler. 

Asbury got one back in their half of the first, but McCoy settled in and did not let the Eagles manufacture anything else aside from a pair of solo home runs. Olivia Judy lifted a two-out shot over the left field fence in the fourth followed by Taylor Enlow in the fifth, also with two outs. McCoy, who was tagged for 11 total runs against George Fox the day before, continued to throw up zeroes on the board despite Asbury stranding at least one runner on base in six of seven innings.

In the sixth, Defiance created a five-run cushion when a grounder off Roberts' bat was mishandled at shortstop by Enlow and two Jackets crossed home. 

Defiance pounded out 10 total hits in the victory compared to six by Asbury. Roberts and Emswiler each doubled while eight different players recorded hits.

Game 2
Final: Defiance 5, Wittenberg 0
Win: Anika Craft (2-4)
Loss: Julia Hall (1-3)
Save: None
Box Score: Click here

In the second contest of the day, Craft (Win, 2-4) locked down a complete-game shutout victory as DC downed Wittenberg, 5-0.

For Craft, the four-hitter featured six strikeouts and two walks to highlight the sophomore's first shutout and the first scoreless effort by the Jackets (3-11) in 2023. The Tigers (1-9) threatened in the fifth and sixth by advancing a runner to third with two outs in each frame, but could not break through during either turn.

Defiance gave Craft all the offense she needed during a three-run second. Lily Linke connected on a leadoff single and was wiped out on a fielder's choice by Ali Mowen. An Emswiler walk and infield hit by Amber Krause loaded the sacks for Defiance. Laney Grimwood delivered a sharp RBI single to bring in the first run of the contest and Craft helped her own cause with a two-run single to right to create a 3-0 lead.

In the third, a Silcox double and Guzman single set the table for Defiance to tack on two more. Their hits to start the inning chased Wittenberg starter Julia Hall (Loss, 1-3). Linke and Mowen each recorded productive outs for the Yellow Jackets to bring in Silcox and Guzman.

Defiance combined for 20 hits, four of them doubles, in the doubleheader sweep. Silcox and Linke each gathered three hits for the day to lead the offense. DC also ran the bases well and swiped six bases between the two contests, including three by Kelly Limbaugh. 

The Yellow Jackets are back on the diamond on Tuesday for a doubleheader at Heidelberg beginning at 3:30 p.m.

-JACKETS-