April 25

Jackets Split Doubleheader with Transy
Defiance at Transylvania

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Justine Johnston pitched her second consecutive shutout, helping Defiance run-rule Transylvania University, 10-0, in the opening game of the HCAC doubleheader on Friday, April 25. The Pioneers returned the favor in the nightcap, however, with a 10-0 victory of their own as the Jackets move to 9-5 in the HCAC with the split.

In the opener, Johnston (12-5) limited Transy to just three hits in her six innings of work to record her fourth shutout of the season. The junior hurler has limited opponents to a .116 batting average in her last two starts, while having earned a victory in each of her last five starts.

DC’s offense made it an easy victory for Johnston in the opener, scoring ten runs on its 11 hits in the game. The Jackets got the scoring started in the second as Cara Hughes’ single to left plated Allison Ramsay, while Amanda Auzins sac fly drove in Kayla Crager to grab a two-run advantage.
Hughes finished the opener
3-for-4 with four RBI.
Defiance added more runs three more runs in the third inning to increase its lead to five runs, including Marah Robinson’s fifth homerun of the season. DC would go on to tack on five more runs over the next three innings to end the game via the NCAA run-rule.

Hughes, in her first game back from injury, finished the game 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI. Crager and Laurel Palk each had two RBI for the Jackets, while Mallory Faling had her eighth multi-hit game of the season with two hits in the game.

Transylvania pitcher Olivia Wall helped secure the split for the Pioneers, throwing a four-hit shutout in the nightcap. Transy’s scoring came in spurts as the Pioneers had two, five-run innings to earn the victory. DC starter Kelly Schnipke was tagged for five runs in the first, while Robin Diers gave up five more in the fourth. Crager, Stephanie Lieto, Robinson and Tasha Stucke each recorded hits for Defiance in the nightcap.

Defiance (18-15) will try to secure a place in the HCAC tournament in its doubleheader with Mount St. Joseph on Saturday, April 26. The opening game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon.