2008-09 Softball News
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June 02, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College softball program has set the dates for its third-annual DC Fall League, which will be held on Sundays from noon until 6:30 pm from September 6 through October 18.
May 19, 2009
GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference has announced its spring honorees for Academic All-HCAC. Defiance College placed 22 student-athletes on the list, raising its total for the 2008-2009 academic year to 35.
May 12, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Justine Johnston garnered her second-straight ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV honor, after being named to the first team as voted on and announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
May 11, 2009
GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Melanie Bushman and Aarika Davis each were named to the NCAA Division III’s Central Region All-Tournament team on Sunday, after helping the Jackets earn the school’s first Regional semifinal berth this past weekend.
May 09, 2009
GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Defiance reached a pair of milestones in its 8-2 victory over Thomas More on Saturday, advancing to the NCAA Regional semifinal for the first time in program history. The Jackets move to 30-15 on the year, becoming the first DC squad to ever reach the 30-win plateau.
May 09, 2009
GREENCASTLE, Ind. - Defiance saw its season come to an end in the NCAA Regional semifinal, dropping a 7-0 decision to DePauw University on Saturday. The Jackets finish with a school-record 30 victories, while claiming their second-straight HCAC Tournament title and NCAA Regional Final Four berth.
May 08, 2009
GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Defiance could not hold on to an early lead in its second round matchup with Ohio Northern on Friday, as the Polar Bears scored five runs in the final three innings to hand the Jackets an 8-5 defeat.
May 07, 2009
GREENCASTLE, Ind. - Justine Johnston tossed her second-straight shutout, helping Defiance claim a 2-0 victory over Trine University in the opening round of the NCAA Regional Tournament on Thursday. The Jackets improve to 29-14 on the year, tying the school record for most wins in a season.
May 07, 2009
GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference released its softball award winners on Wednesday, as the Defiance College softball team had five players receive all-conference recognition, marking the third time in school history the team has placed that many individuals on the All-HCAC list.
May 06, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College senior Justine Johnston earned Div. III All-Region accolades, as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced its 2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region Teams on Monday.
May 05, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College will be making its fourth NCAA Regional Tournament in the last six years, after cruising to its second-straight HCAC Tournament title last week. The Jackets will look for their second-straight NCAA Regional Final Four berth when action kicks off on Thursday.
May 02, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Defiance blanked Transylvania 6-0 to win its second-consecutive HCAC Tournament title, as the Jackets cruised through the conference tourney unblemished for the second year in a row. DC advances to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in school history with the automatic bid.
May 01, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Defiance moved within one win of its second consecutive HCAC Tournament championship, after defeating Bluffton and Transylvania in the opening two rounds of the conference tournament. The Jackets won the first game, 12-4, before holding on for a 5-4 victory in game two.
April 30, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College softball team is set to compete in its tenth consecutive HCAC Tournament this weekend on the campus of Transylvania University. The Jackets will enter the double-elimination tournament as the three seed, after posting a 12-4 mark in conference play this season.
April 27, 2009
GRANVILLE, Ohio – Defiance reached the 25-win plateau for the sixth time in school history with a sweep of Denison University, helping head coach Jodie Holava win the 100th game of her four-year coaching career. The Jackets took the opener 9-2, before holding on for a 4-3 win in the nightcap.
April 25, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance closed out its 2009 home schedule with a pair of shutout victories over Mount St. Joseph, helping the DC softball program eclipsed the 450-win mark. The Jackets took the opener in extra innings, 1-0, before riding Kelly Schnipke’s four-hitter to another 1-0 victory in the finale.  
April 24, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Transylvania swept Defiance in a pair of one-run games, ending the Jackets’ bid for their second HCAC regular season title in the last three years. DC saw its eight-game conference winning streak come to an end, dropping the opener, 2-1, before losing a heartbreaker, 3-2, in extra innings.
April 22, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance lost a couple of last-inning thrillers to Alma College on Wednesday, taking extra innings to fall in the opener, 11-10, while losing 5-3 in the final game of the doubleheader. The Jackets fall to 21-12 with the losses while Alma moves to 27-13 on the year.
April 21, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College softball team has announced that its non-conference doubleheader against Alma College has been moved to Wednesday, April 22, due to inclement weather conditions. The twinbill is scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm.
April 21, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College softball team added to its growing list of recognition for its wide spread community service, receiving the Lights of Defiance award at the 11th-Annual Volunteer Connection Recognition Dinner.
April 20, 2009
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Melanie Bushman helped lead Defiance to the top of the HCAC standings this week with a 4-0 mark and has been named the HCAC Hitter of the Week for the second time this season. The senior first baseman hit .500 at the plate with two doubles, one home run and six RBI.
April 18, 2009
HANOVER, Ind. – Defiance outscored Hanover College 17-0 on Saturday, sweeping the HCAC doubleheader to move into the conference lead with a 10-2 mark. The Jackets only needed five innings to record the victory in both contests, winning the opener, 8-0, before claiming the finale, 9-0.
April 17, 2009
FRANKLIN, Ind. – Defiance racked up 25 runs in two games to sweep its HCAC twinbill with Franklin College on Friday. DC exploded for nine runs in the seventh to take the opener, 15-3, before cruising to a 10-4 victory in the final game of doubleheader to improve to 19-10 overall and 8-2 in conference play.
April 13, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College softball team has announced that its doubleheader against Denison has been pushed to April 27, due to inclement weather conditions. The twinbill is scheduled to begin at 3:30 pm.
April 10, 2009
ALBION, Mich. – Defiance scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to claim a 4-2 win in the opening game of its non-conference twinbill with Albion College. The Britons would use some late-inning magic of their own in the nightcap to snap DC’s four-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory.
April 08, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College has announced that long-time West Virginia football coach Don Nehlen will be the honorary guest speaker at its 36th-Annual Student-Athlete Honors Banquet on April 26. The event, which is hosted by the Purple and Gold Club, will take place inside DC’s Karl H. Weaner Community Center and will begin at 6:00 pm.
April 08, 2009
N. MANCHESTER, Ind. – Defiance used a late rally to defeat Manchester College, 6-3, in the opening game of the HCAC doubleheader, before exploding for 12 runs to blowout the Spartans, 12-4, in the finale. The Jackets, who have now won three straight, improve to 6-2 in the conference with the sweep.
April 04, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance took advantage of a pair of fielding mishaps to win the final game of its doubleheader, 3-2, with Rose-Hulman on Saturday. The Jackets’ could not get anything going offensively in the opener, falling 2-0.
April 01, 2009
BLUFFTON, Ohio – Defiance scored a run in four of its final five innings in the nightcap, bringing home a 6-2 victory over Bluffton to split the HCAC twinbill with the Beavers on Wednesday. The Jackets, who are currently in a three-way tie for the top spot in the conference, dropped the opener 8-1.
March 30, 2009
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Justine Johnston went 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA this week, including a no-hitter, and has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for the seventh time in her career.
March 28, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Justine Johnston threw the second no-hitter of her career, as Defiance swept its twinbill with Anderson University. Johnston’s shutout helped DC claim a 2-0 win in the opener, before some seventh-inning heroics lifted the Jackets to a 9-8 victory in the series finale.
March 25, 2009
ADRIAN, Mich. – Defiance saw its three-game road winning streak come to a close in its doubleheader with No. 24 Adrian College on Wednesday afternoon. The Jackets dropped the opening game of the twinbill, 3-2, before falling 2-0 in the finale.
March 23, 2009
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Melanie Bushman hit .857 with three doubles and six runs driven in to lead Defiance to a perfect 3-0 mark on the week. For her efforts, Bushman has been named the HCAC Hitter of the Week. 
March 23, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Brittany Gow’s pinch-hit single in the bottom of the seventh scored Tasha Stucke to give Defiance a 4-3 victory over Trine University in the opening game of the doubleheader. However, DC would see its four-game winning streak end in the nightcap, as its late-inning rally fell short.
March 21, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance used a pair of three-run innings and a solid pitching performance from Justine Johnston to cruise to a 6-2 victory over Heidelberg University in the opener, before outlasting the Berg, 4-1, in the second game of the doubleheader.
March 20, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College softball team has announced that its non-conference doubleheader against Heidelberg on Saturday has been moved back to a 1:00 pm start time. The twinbill was originally scheduled to begin at 12:00 pm.
March 18, 2009
FINDLAY, Ohio – Defiance scored a run in each inning on its way to a 9-1 rout of the University of Findlay, taking advantage of seven Oiler errors to win in five innings. The Jackets stopped a three-game skid with the victory, improving to 7-4 while Findlay drops to 7-2 on the year.
March 12, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Defiance College softball team was unable to end its spring trip on a high note, dropping its final two games at the Rebel Spring Games. DC fell to NAIA opponent Marian in the opener by the score of 4-2, before losing 3-2 to Wittenberg.
March 11, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – Defiance exploded for four runs in extra innings to take down Thomas More, 7-3, before dropping a 5-0 decision to Benedictine University. DC moves to 6-2 on the season, while seeing its four-game winning streak come to a close in the nightcap.
March 09, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – Defiance’s offense was on display in a sweep of Husson University, as the Jackets scored a combined 17 runs in the twin bill to improve to 5-1 on the season, its best start during Jodie Holava’s tenure. DC won the opener 9-0, behind the pitching of Justine Johnston, while exploding in the sixth inning to take the second game, 8-5.
March 08, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – Kelly Schnipke threw her second-straight shutout to lead Defiance to a 4-0 victory over Waynesburg at the Rebel Spring Games, helping the Jackets improve to 3-1 on the season. DC dropped the opening game of the day, as its comeback bid fell short in a 6-4 loss to Mount Union.
March 06, 2009
DANVILLE, Ky. – The Defiance College softball team outscored Centre College 17-1 in its season-opening doubleheader, grabbing a 7-1 victory in the opener before taking only five innings to crush the Colonels 10-0 in the nightcap. DC (2-0) will continue its trip down south, stopping in Orlando, Fla. for its annual appearance in the Rebel Spring Games.
January 28, 2009
GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Defiance College softball team was pegged to finish second in the 2009 HCAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Wednesday, January 28. DC grabbed two first-place votes, while placing four on the HCAC Preseason Players-to-Watch list.
December 03, 2008
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College sofball team will host its 7th Annual Winter Clinic Series on February 15, 2009. The clinic will be held inside the Karl H. Weaner Center on the campus of Defiance College with enrollment limited. 
November 25, 2008
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College will see three of its former student-athletes enshrined in the Wauseon High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Dec. 13. Dr. John Decker, Bart Graf and Jeff Bridges are all DC alumni and make up three of the 10-man class.
November 25, 2008
DEFIANCE, Ohio – For the second consecutive year, the Defiance College softball team worked with the Northwest Ohio chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help plan the program’s annual Holiday Party, which hosts over 100 Wish Kids and their families at Springfield High School in Toledo, Ohio.
November 19, 2008
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced its girls got game Academic All-American list, based on the 2007-08 academic year. The Defiance College softball team had five individuals earn recognition, as Kayla Crager, Robin Diers, Justine Johnston, Becky Petrie and Tasha Stucke each garnered NFCA Academic All-American status.
September 29, 2008
WAPAKONETA, Ohio – The Defiance College softball team claimed the White Division championship at the Red, White and Blue Collegiate Classic on Sunday, September 28. The Jackets went 3-0 on the day, claiming victories over Ohio Wesleyan University, and NCAA Div. II opponents Findlay University and Tiffin University.
September 08, 2008
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College softball team continued the school’s tradition of service in the community, volunteering at the Ohio Special Olympics State Softball Tournament on September 6.