Softball lands three on All-HCAC Second Team

CARMEL, Ind. - Three Defiance College Yellow Jackets were named to the 2024 All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference team announced by the league office Tuesday morning. Freshman Madison Guggenbiller (Fort Recovery, Ohio/Fort Recovery), junior Anika Craft (Radnor, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) and senior Brooke Silcox (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) were all named to the second team. 

In her first season of collegiate softball, Guggenbiller played in 38 of 39 games including all 18 conference games and 18 of her 28 hits during the season came in HCAC play. Of those 18 hits, nine were extra base hits that included six doubles and three home runs. She also scored ten runs, walked nine times, batted .367 to go along with an on base percentage of .466 and slugging percentage of .673. 

The slugging percentage ranks fifth in the HCAC and OPS of 1.139 ranks sixth in the conference. The three home runs tied her for fifth in the conference, the nine walks was tied for third, and six doubles tied her for eighth. 

For Craft, this is her first time being recognized all-conference. She led the team with a batting average of .384 and was tied for the team lead in hits with 48. On the mound, she also led the team in wins (7), innings pitched (100.1), and ERA (2.44). The 15 runs scored in conference was tied for seventh and also tied for seventh in hits with 23 during conference games while also drawing nine walks which tied her for third in the conference. 

On the mound, the 2.32 ERA during HCAC competition placed her sixth in the HCAC while pitching a total of 57.1 innings, fifth most in the conference. Finished second in strikeouts with 61 and was tied for fifth in wins with five. Accumulated 23 hits in conference play and drew nine walks. Batted .397 with an on base percentage of .478 and .431 slugging percentage. 

For Silcox, this is the third year in a row she has received recognition from the conference. All three times she has earned a spot on the Second Team. She was tied for the team lead in hits with 48 and her .366 batting average was second on the team. Half of her season totals in runs, hits, and doubles came in HCAC play. In conference games, batted .393 to go along with an on base percentage of .418 and slugging percentage of .459. The 24 hits during conference play tied her for fourth most in the HCAC. 

Defiance softball finished the season 14-25 overall with a 9-9 mark in the HCAC.