Jackets Find Success in the South

FT.MYERS, Fla.--- After starting the season with a cancellation at Center College, the Defiance College softball team was 3-3 in Fort Myers, Fla. This is the second time the Yellow Jackets will return from the annual Spring Break trip with a .500 record under head coach Kary Kankey. In 2002, the Jackets returned from Florida posting a 5-5 record.

The Jackets fell 1-3 in their season opener against Montclair State on Mar. 13th with senior Kalette Peters scoring the lone run while going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Senior Chris Moreo found success at the plate and was 3-for-2, scoring one run in the Jackets’ 1-3 loss to Dickinson College on March 14. Sophomore pitcher Mandy Crank gave up three runs in her six innings on the mound.

In the second game of the day, DC recorded their first win of the season in a convincing 8-2 win over Wooster. Sophomore Alicia Allen was 2-for-4 at the plate pulling in four RBI’s while Peters crossed the plate twice. Laurel Palk, Erica Franks, Kacy VanderHorst, Renee Steffen, Sarah Sutter, and Sara Wlasiuk scored one run each in the win. Allen was credited with the win from the mound with four hits and two strikeouts in four innings. Rookie Robin Diers struck out one batter in two innings.

After a day off, the Jackets split a pair of decisions with Drew, 1-3, and Delaware Valley, 15-3. In the Delaware Valley victory, Moreo had three RBI’s while Wlasiuk, Steffen contributed with two. Five DC players scored more than one run.

The Mar. 17 Fitchburg and Worcester games were cancelled due to rain, but DC closed the trip on a high note in the 4-3 win over Casenovia in extra innings on March 18. The game was forced into extra innings when Peters was brought home in the seventh by Monica Sigurdson. DC had been trailing since the second inning before Palk and Steffen both scored in the eighth to give DC the one run edge.

Allen was 1-2 as a pitcher while Crank suffered one loss. Diers was credited with two wins on the week.

Defiance College will open the home season Wednesday, Mar. 23 when they host Manchester College in non-conference action.