Yellow Jackets split Softball home opener
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio -- The DC Yellow Jacket softball team split its home opener doubleheader against Albion College, dropping the first game 3-2 and winning the second 4-2.

In the first game, the Britons of Albion scored a run in each of the first three innings, although two of them were unearned. DC tied the game at 1 in the bottom half of the first when Kelsey Sugg knocked in Cori Long on an RBI single. Albion regained the lead in the top of the second and added an insurance run in the top of the third. The Yellow Jackets pulled within one in the bottom of the sixth on a pinch hit RBI single by Corrine D'Emilio and looked poised for a comeback. In the bottom of the seventh, DC was able to get one runner on but could not advance her past second base.

Renee Steffen went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Kelsey Sugg went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Brittany Sims pitched seven innings, giving up one earned run while striking out one. Marissa Dickey went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for Albion.

In the second game, DC took the lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Monica Sigurdson. Justine Johnston then held the Britons scoreless through 5 2/3 innings until giving up a two-out RBI single that tied the game at 1 in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, DC would take the lead on a bases-loaded infield hit by Long; then add two more insurance runs off of an error by the third baseman. The Britons would put a scare into the Jackets when they pulled within two on a two-out RBI single by Jenna Hogg and had the winning run at the plate in the form of Marissa Dickey. Johnston was able to get her to ground out to third to get the victory.

Long went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Jessica Smith went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Johnston pitched seven innings, giving up only two runs off seven hits while striking out four. Evan Gillo went 2-for-3 with one run scored for Albion.

DC, now 8-4 on the year, hosts Denison University Sunday at 1:00 p.m.