DC Softball swept by Polar Bears
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

Defiance vs Ohio Northern: Game 1 / Game 2

ADA, Ohio – The Defiance College Softball team could not extend its winning streak to three games as the Jacket fell in both games of a doubleheader against Ohio Northern University by the score 8-0 and 7-6.

In the first game, DC had a difficult time keeping the ONU offense at bay, as the Polar Bears scored four times in the first inning, all off of a two-out grand slam by Liz Decima. The first three batters of the frame all got on base, putting Defiance in a precarious position, facing the bases loaded with no outs.

ONU wasn’t finished as the team brought in four more scores in the third, highlighted by a leadoff homerun. Compounding DC’s woes was the stalling of the offense, as the Jackets managed only four hits in the five-inning game. Johnston was given the loss after being responsible for all eight runs.

The second game was DC fall behind early again, with ONU taking a 2-0 lead after three. Defiance responded with an RBI single by Aarika Davis in the fourth. However, after cutting the lead to one, ONU quickly swelled the Jacket deficit with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 4-1.

Things looked bleak for the Jackets in the top of the seventh as they trailed by three when the DC offense began to turn things around in a major way. The first three batters reached base, with Melanie Bushman bringing in Stephanie Lieto with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly. This feat was followed by back-to-back RBI singles by Amanda Auzins and Kelsey Sugg to tie the game at four. Two batters later, Kayla Crager cranked a two-RBI double down the right field line to give DC its first lead of the game.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Polar Bears got their first two batters on base to bring the winning run in the form of Amanda Fought. Fought came through for ONU with a two-RBI double down the left field line and advanced to third to tie the game at six. Robin Diers struck out the next two batters while intentionally walking the third to set up the force at second. Unfortunately, the strategy didn’t work for DC as Melanie Ward slapped a base hit past the second base side to bring in the game-winner.

Crager went 2-for-4 in the game with the two RBIs in the seventh, while Lieto also had two hits in addition to a run scored. Julie Miller started the game for DC, giving up four in five innings of work with three strikeouts.

Defiance (6-8) is set to play Alma College Saturday in Michigan at 2:00 p.m.