ON THIS DATE (4/8) in DC Athletics

DEFIANCE, Ohio – On this date, April 8, in recent Defiance College athletics history, the softball team recorded three road wins since 2009 while the men's tennis squad won a pair of matches over the past decade. Also, two members of the men's track and field team posted individual titles in 2017.

In softball 11 years ago, Defiance swept a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Manchester University by the scores of 6-3 and 12-4. In the opener, Aarika Davis had three hits, including a double while Stephanie Lieto, Allison Ramsay and Amanda Auzins each doubled with an RBI in getting two hits. Pitcher Justine Johnston threw a complete-game victory. Davis was credited with three more hits, including a triple and pair of doubles, and an RBI in the second game while Marah Robinson was also 3 for 5 with an RBI. Mallory Faling stroked a double and triple, knocking in three runs with Auzins also ending with two hits, one a double and an RBI. Kelly Schnipke pitched 4 2/3 innings for the win.

On the softball diamond in 2017 at Mount St. Joseph University, the Yellow Jackets split an HCAC twinbill, winning the first game, 6-2, before suffering a heartbreaking 7-6 loss in 12 innings. In the victory, Brooke Gostomsky went 3 for 3 with two RBIs while current members of the DC athletic department – head softball coach Megan Warren and sports information graduate assistant Jackie Hartman – each finished with a couple of hits and an RBI. Michaela Bauer added a solo homer and Sara Kaya was the winning pitcher after tossing all seven innings.

Also in Cincinnati three years ago, the Defiance men's tennis team beat conference foe Mount St. Joseph, 5-4. James DeMeo, Adam Swisher and Brian Kurtz each picked up victories in both singles and doubles.

Ten years ago on their home tennis courts, the Yellow Jackets blanked Manchester, 9-0, in an HCAC match. William Draur, Tyler Ault, Austin Kleman, Trevor Ault, Austin Gray and Mark Vandevender were all easy, two-set winners in singles play and also victorious in doubles.

At the 2017 Huntington University Invitational track-and-field meet in Indiana, two DC men earned championships. Javier Castillo topped a field of 23 in the shot put with a toss of 13.45 meters while Joshua Petro was the first-place finisher among 22 competitors in the hammer throw at 49.73m.

Do you recall these Defiance athletic highlights that happened on April 8? The "On this Date" series is scheduled to run through the end of April.