Defiance College Softball wins second consecutive HCAC Tourney Crown

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—With a single up the in the bottom of the ninth inning, Kelly VanderHorst sent fellow senior Chris Moreo to home and the entire Yellow Jacket team to their second trip to the NCAA Tournament in as many years.

The Jackets found themselves down 3-0 after 2 ½ innings, despite a strong performance from starting pitcher Alicia Allen. Allen gave up the three runs on a single and two solo home runs. The DC squad then went to work, forcing extra innings on a passed ball in the bottom of the fourth that scored Moreo and tied the game at three. Neither team scored a run from the fifth through the top of the ninth inning.

Kalette Peters previously scored Erica Franks on a ground-out RBI to second base in the bottom of the third, just before Kelly VanderHorst initial RBI, scoring Kacy VanderHorst in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Jackets closed out their rain-delayed first game with a pop-up in the top of the seventh, which began on Saturday, but was finished Sunday morning due to heavy rains and field conditions.

The Jackets will now wait for the announcement of NCAA Tournament seedings and placement made tonight on NCAAsports.com.

The Regionals will take place on Friday, May 13th through Sunday, the 16th at the selected sites.