DC Softball splits HCAC meeting with Manchester
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio -- The Defiance College Softball team drops its first conference matchup of the season after splitting a doubleheader with Manchester College, winning the first game 1-0 and losing the second 10-5.

The first game saw a pitcher’s duel between Justine Johnston of DC and Brittany Miller of Manchester, as both held the opposing team hitless through four innings. Johnston would be the first to cave in, as she gave up a shallow single to right to lead off the fifth inning. Although she would eventually load the bases with two outs, Johnston was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout. In the bottom half of the inning, Amanda Auzins lead off with a shot to right center that allowed her to get all the way to third. The rally would be killed as she was thrown out by the catcher trying to score on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the seventh, with both teams in a scoreless stalemate, Auzins again got things going, this time with a one-out single. A walk and a fielder choice later, the Jackets found themselves with the bases loaded with one down. Laurel Palk would hit a dribbler that made its way to the shortstop. Stephanie Lieto was able to beat out the force at third, while Auzins scored the game-winner.

The second game saw a little more offensive action than the first. Manchester got on the board first in the top of the third with back-to-back doubles off of starter Alicia Allen and adding another on an RBI single. In the following inning, things began to go awry for the Jacket pitching staff, as Allen was pulled after giving up a leadoff double. Brittany Sims came in for relief, but was shelled for four runs off five hits in 2/3 of an inning. Robin Diers would come in an eventually get the final out of the inning.

DC answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth on an RBI fielder’s choice by Melanie Bushman and a sacrifice fly by Kayla Crager. Two innings later, Crager would come through in a big way in the Yellow Jacket comeback effort. With runners at first and second with two down, Crager would send a bomb over the right center fence to bring DC within three. Unfortunately, the Spartans would get those three runs back in the top half of the seventh, and DC was unable to get over the 10-5 hump.

Amanda Auzins went 3-for-6 on the day and was the only player to get a hit in the first game. Kayla Crager went 1-for-3 in both games with the home run and four RBIs.

DC, now 16-10 (3-1 HCAC), travels to Anderson University Thursday at 3:30 p.m.