Softball 2024 Preview: Pitching looks to lead Yellow Jackets into new era
March 1, 2024

Softball 2024 Preview: Pitching looks to lead Yellow Jackets into new era

With the transition to the NAIA looming, it is already a new era for Defiance College softball. After leading the program to three conference tournament berths in five seasons, head coach Megan Warren departed for the same position at Wilmington College. However, the hiring of Jordan Osborne keeps a former Yellow Jacket at the helm, who played under Jodie Holava and Warren from 2016-19. Osborne is the program's all-time hits leader and a three-time All-HCAC performer before assistant coaching stops at the University of Mary and Purdue Northwest. Osborne tabbed another former DC standout to round out the 2024 coaching staff with Kalin Hubble serving as the assistant coach. Hubble is one of the program's most decorated players and holds a slew of Yellow Jackets hitting records including home runs, RBIs, runs scored, doubles and extra-base hits. She was also a three-time All-HCAC performer highlighted by the 2021 HCAC Player of the Year Award.

Last year's team finished 16-24 and earned a spot in the HCAC Tournament with a 7-9 mark in the conference. The Yellow Jackets were dropped by Franklin and Hanover during their first two contests to close the season. Led in the circle by the 1-2 punch of Anika Craft and Savannah McCoy, Defiance set a program record in strikeouts with 201. The offense earned the program's two all-conference awards with Marissa Roberts and Brooke Silcox each earning second team. Silcox led the team in hits (51) and batting average (.395). Roberts ended her career tied with Coach Hubble for the program record in doubles (44) and finished just seven hits shy of Coach Osborne's record.

The Yellow Jackets begin the 2024 season at The Springs Games in the Orlando, Fla. area beginning on March 3. While the roster is down from 26 to 17, the Jackets return three pitchers that ate up all but five innings from last season in Craft, McCoy and Riley Alcorn. Defiance is also bringing back three of four infielders (Silcox, Ali Mowen, Laney Grimwood) and both primary backstops from a year ago (Natalee Cooper and Anna Emswiler).

Returning Starters

  • Brooke Silcox (Sr./3B) - Second Team All-HCAC, team leader in hits (51), batting average (.395, sixth in HCAC), and on-base percentage (.444, ninth in HCAC); Starts season ranked sixth in career batting average and 48 hits away from career hits record at DC
  • Anika Craft (Jr./P/UTL) - Led the team with 115 strikeouts (third in HCAC), innings (120.2), and ERA (2.90, seventh in HCAC), 14 complete games, three shutouts; enters the season ranked seventh in career strikeouts at DC
  • Savannah McCoy (Sr./P) - Second on team in innings (89.1), strikeouts (63, seventh in HCAC); starts season 10th all-time in strikeouts at DC
  • Laney Grimwood (Sr./2B) - Hit .245 with a pair of home runs, 12 RBIs as a regular at second base
  • Ali Mowen (So/SS) - Played every game at shortstop, batted .261 with 19 RBIs, fourth on the team with 29 hits
  • Natalee Cooper (Sr./C) - Played 25 games behind the dish and threw out six baserunner
  • Anna Emswiler (So./C) - Appeared in 22 games, mostly at catcher and also threw out six runners attempting to steal
  • Riley Alcorn (Sr./P) - Pitched in 16 games, making six starts and carried a 4.54 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 44.2 innings

Key Departures

  • Marissa Roberts (OF) - Second Team All-HCAC, program doubles record holder
  • Josilyn Guzman (OF) - Regular center fielder, finished ninth in HCAC with a team-high 30 RBIs, tied for second in the league with five triples, and hit five home runs to lead team (eighth-most in conference)
  • Destiny Coil (DH/UTL) - Tied for second on the team with three home runs, hit eight doubles and batted .253
  • Amber Krause (1B) - Regular at first base with 22 hits on the season, seventh on the team with 11 RBIs
  • Kelly Limbaugh (OF) - Swiped 15 bases to lead the team and ranked 2nd in HCAC, appeared in 37 games
  • Lily Linke (OF) - Played in 26 games in right field, collected 13 RBIs and four doubles

Newcomers

Defiance welcomes five new players to the program, including four from the state of Ohio. View the full roster here.

HCAC Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Transylvania University (9) 81
2. Mount St. Joseph University 71
3. Franklin College (1) 67
4. Hanover College 51
4. Manchester University 51
6. Defiance College 35
7. Anderson University 32
8. Bluffton University 26
9. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 20
10. Earlham College 16

Schedule

3/3-8 The Spring Games (Kissimmee, FL)
3/3 Concordia Chicago 10:15 AM
3/3 Ursinus 2:30 PM
3/4 Simmons 3:15 PM
3/4 Wheaton 5:15 PM
3/5 Marietta 1:45 PM
3/5 Carthage 6:30 PM
3/7 Westminster 1:30 PM
3/7 Benedictine 3:45 PM
3/8 Fontbonne 9:45 AM
3/8 North Central 2:30 PM
3/16 Calvin (at Elizabethtown, Ky.) 10 AM
3/16 Spalding (at Elizabethtown, Ky.) 2:30 PM
3/17 Wisconsin-Stout (at Elizabethtown, Ky.) 10 AM
3/17 Wartburg (at Elizabethtown, Ky.) 12:15 PM
3/19 Heidelberg (DH) 3 PM
3/23 Asbury (DH) 12 PM
3/24 at Albion (DH) 1 PM
3/27 Adrian (DH) 3:30 PM
3/30 Rose-Hulman (DH)* 1 PM
4/6 at Bluffton (DH)* 1 PM
4/13 at Franklin (DH)* 1 PM
4/15 Earlham (DH)* 3 PM
4/17 at Anderson (DH)* 3:30 PM
4/20 at Hanover (DH)* 1 PM
4/27 at Transylvania (DH)* 1 PM
5/1 Manchester (DH)* 3:30 PM
5/4 Mount St. Joseph (DH)* 1 PM
5/9-12 HCAC Tournament