Yellow Jackets end three-game skid with doubleheader spilt
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio -- The DC Yellow Jacket Softball squad dropped the first game and won the second of a doubleheader against Alma College by the score 4-0 and 6-5, respectively.

In the first game, both teams remained scoreless through four innings. Alma struck first in the top of the fifth on an RBI single up the middle. Alma would then add three more runs in the top of the seventh to take a 4-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, DC looked poised to make a comeback as the first three batters of the inning reached base. At this point, Alma went to the bullpen and brought in Katie Koechling. DC’s comeback effort took a big hit as the Jackets grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, giving DC runners at second and third with two outs. The game ended on a pinch-hit groundout to third base, with Koechling earning the save.

Jessica Smith and Melanie Bushman went 1-for-2 in the game. Justine Johnston took the loss, giving up four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work, while striking out four and walking three. Missy Morcom for Alma went 3-for-3, including a walk, with an RBI and a run scored.

In the nightcap, Brittany Sims took the mound and was touched up early, giving up two runs (one earned) in the top of the third. DC was able to get one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI groundout by Renee Steffen. Yet in the top of the fifth, the Scots scored two more runs on a two-RBI single by Sarah Seals. In the bottom half of the inning, DC added another run to keep the game within reach. Johnston was brought in for relief in the top of the sixth and faced only four batters in the inning, giving up only a two-out walk.

In the bottom of the sixth, things turned around for the Yellow Jackets. Kelsey Sugg got the rally going by doubling to left field to lead-off the inning. An infield hit by Laurel Palk put runners on the corners, which caused Alma to bring in Koechling to stop the DC comeback. The move ultimately failed to work, as a pinch-hit single by Corrine D’Emilio brought Sugg around to score. Stephanie Lieto would later knock in Palk for the tying run. Lieto would put DC ahead on a wild pitch, scoring from third base. With Melanie Bushman putting up the insurance run in the form of D’Emilio, the Yellow Jackets held a 6-4 lead going into the top of the seventh.

In the seventh, DC flirted with danger, as the first Alma batter singled up the middle, then advanced to second on the next at-bat by a DC fielding error. After a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third, Alma’s Sarah Seals singled up the middle to bring in a run and put the tying run at third. That’s as far as the Scot rally would get as Johnston struck out the next batter and got the final batter to fly out to center.

Johnston picked up the win in relief, giving up one run in two innings of work. Sims’ day ended with four runs in five innings. Stephanie Lieto, who came in for Monica Sigurdson after getting hit by a pitch in the first inning, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Palk went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

DC, now 10-8 on the year, travels to Indiana to take on Tri-State University Monday, April 3 at 3:30 p.m.