Yellow Jackets use big innings to sweep Bluffton
Defiance, Ohio - The Defiance College softball team used a seven-run first inning in game one and a nine-run fifth inning in game two to route the Bluffton Beavers and earn two run rule wins Saturday afternoon at Sal Hench Field. Bluffton falls to 0-4 in conference play and 11-15 overall. Defiance improves to 11-13 overall and moves to 4-0 in HCAC play.
Game 1
Final (5 innings): Defiance 12, Bluffton 1
A seven-run first inning propelled the Yellow Jackets to a big win in game one. Lily Linke reached on a fielder's choice and Brooke Silcox would score the first run of the game on a throwing error by Bluffton second baseman Sydney Zinkon. Destiny Coil, Laney Grimwood, Amber Krause, and Marissa Roberts all had hits in the inning and Natalee Cooper would add a sacrifice fly.
Defiance starter Savannah McCoy (W, 4-6) had to work out of bases loaded situations in the second third inning. McCoy escaped the second inning jam and would allow one run in the third inning when she plunked Julia Tegeder to score Bobbi Adams. That all happened with one out and she would strike out the next two batters to get out the jam.
The Yellow Jackets would respond with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Amber Krause led off with a double and Natalee Cooper sacrificed her to third. Lily Linke, Brooke Silcox, and Destiny Coil would all have RBI hits in the inning to blow the game open.
McCoy would throw two more scoreless innings to end the game early. Ali Mowen, Silcox, Krause, and Coil each had two hits in the game. Coil led the team with three runs batted in.
Erin Norman (L, 6-7) only lasted one inning for the Beavers and allowed seven earned runs.
Game 2
Final (5 innings): Defiance 10, Bluffton 2
Erin Norman got the nod again in game two for Bluffton and faced off against Anika Craft. The two exchanged zeroes for the first three and a half innings.
An RBI groundout from Amber Krause scored Kelly Limbaugh to give Defiance a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Craft struck out the first two batters in the fifth inning and then the Bluffton bats woke up as four straight Beavers reached to take a 2-1 lead.
Marissa Roberts led off the bottom of the fifth and reached on an error by Bluffton second baseman Sydney Zinkon. That woke up the Defiance offense and gave them life as they erupted for nine runs in the inning and ended on a walk-off run rule win.
Defiance regained the lead on a two-run single from Josilyn Guzman. Ali Mowen singled home Guzman and Destiny Coil launched her first home run of the season to extend the lead to 6-2.
They weren't done though. After the home run, Laney Grimwood and Krause would both single. Grimwood scored on an error and Jessie Leggett scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-2.
Anika Craft scored on a sac fly by Roberts. With two outs, Brooke Silcox walked and Guzman followed with a double putting runners on second and third. Lily Linke stepped up and smacked an RBI single to right field to make the score 10-2 which ended the game due to the run rule.
Craft (W, 6-5) got the win on the mound and struck out 11. Erin Norman (L, 6-8) took the loss again for Bluffton and allowed nine runs.
The Yellow Jackets will return to Sal Hench Field Wednesday afternoon to host Alma. Game one begins at 3 p.m.