DC Softball on a season-high seven-game winning streak
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio -- The Defiance College picked up its third straight doubleheader sweep, this time against Adrian College, winning the first game 3-2 and the second 6-4.

The Bulldogs of Adrian got on the scoreboard first in the opener, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Jackets were unable to bring around a run home until the bottom of the fifth, when Alicia Allen singled in Cori Long for DC’s first run of the game. In the next inning, Kayla Crager hit a two-out single up the middle to bring up Melanie Bushman. Bushman came through in the clutch with a homer to left field, putting DC up by one. Justine Johnston closed the door in the top half of the seventh to pick up her 13th win of the year, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits with eight strikeouts. Both Bushman and Crager went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

In the second game, the Jackets scored a run in each of the first four innings and held a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, when DC added two more runs on a fielding error and a sacrifice fly. The Jackets appeared to be cruising to a win until some defensive mishaps in the top of the seventh put a serious scare into the team. The Jackets committed three errors in the inning, leading to three Bulldog runs. With the bases loaded and the go-ahead run at first, Allen was able to get the final batter to ground out to her, ending Adrian’s rally.

Allen hurled a seven-hitter to pick up her fifth win of the season. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Stephanie Lieto picked up two hits in the game in three trips to the dish.

Defiance College, now 23-11 (6-2 HCAC) on the year, plays its final home doubleheader of the season against Bluffton University on Tuesday, April 25 at 3:30 p.m.