May 2

DC Softball falls in last game of the regular season
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

Defiance vs Bluffton: Game Statistics

BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Defiance College Softball team dropped its final game of the regular season against Bluffton University by the score 3-2.

The game started off with a dominant pitching performance by Justine Johnston, who held the Beavers to only one hit in her three innings of work. She was able to escape a jam in the third when Bluffton had the bases loaded with one out. Johston forced a crucial 4-2-5-6 double play to get out of the inning.
Renee Steffen knocked in DC's two runs of the game
Renee Steffen came through for DC in the top of the fifth with a two-RBI single down the right field line with the bases loaded. The base hit gave DC a brief 2-0 lead that would not last. The Beavers answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of a DC error to tie the game at two off of new pitcher Robin Diers.

The score remained tied at two until the bottom of the eighth. Julie Miller held the Beaver offense at bay in the previous inning, but could not duplicate her effort in the following frame. With runners at first and third, Miller surrendered the game-winning single with no outs to give Bluffton the win.

Bluffton’s win clinches a berth into the HCAC Tournament as the #4 seed, which will be held at Defiance Friday and Saturday.

Steffen went 1-for-3 in the game with DC’s only two RBIs, while Melanie Bushman, Monica Sigurdson, and Laurel Palk each picking up a hit.

Defiance (22-17, 13-2 HCAC) will have a chance to get back at Bluffton Friday in the HCAC Tournament, as DC will take on the Beavers in the first game of the tournament at 10:00 a.m.