Johnston Tosses No-Hitter in DC's Sweep of Anderson

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.

Johnston (7-4) shutdown the Raven offense in the opening game of the doubleheader, retiring all but three of the batters she faced. The Wauseon, Ohio native recorded her second shutout of the season, while striking out a season-high seven batters.

Marah Robinson had a banner day of her own, lacing a shot over the fence in center to give the Jackets the only run they would need. The sophomore outfielder took over the top spot on DC's career home run list with the 10th long ball her career.

Two of Defiance's three hits in the game came in the fifth, as DC used those knocks to add an insurance run. Amanda Auzins led off the inning with a double to right center, before scoring on Tasha Stucke's double in the gap to help the Jackets grab its first HCAC victory of the year.

Both offenses woke up in the second game of the doubleheader, as the two squads combined for 27 hits in the contest.

DC jumped out to an early lead in the nightcap, as the Jackets pushed five runs across in the bottom of the first inning. Melanie Bushman put Defiance on the board first with a RBI single to left, before Auzins' cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Stephanie Lieto kept the hit parade rolling with a triple to right field, plating Auzins to round out the scoring for the inning.

The Ravens scored their first runs of the day in the top of the second, scoring three times in the inning to draw within two, 5-3. Anderson would knot the game two innings later with a pair of runs, however, the Jackets wasted no time regaining the lead.

Allison Ramsay hit a one-out single up the middle to set the table for Stucke, who gave DC a 7-5 advantage with a two-run blast over the fence in straight-away center field.

Anderson's three-run sixth gave the Ravens their first lead of the series, which they carried into the seventh after sending the Jackets down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

Aarika Davis started DC's rally in the seventh with a double to left center. Down to their final out, the Jackets would put each of their next three runners aboard. Auzins drew a two-out walk, before Lieto tied the game with a single to right field to score pinch runner Katelyn Samples. Ramsay followed that up with her second hit of the game, hitting a walk-off blooper to left to plate Auzins for the game-winning score.

Brittany Gow recorded the victory, the first of her career, after closing out the contest with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Johnston pitched the first 1 1/3 innings of the contest, tallying two strikeouts in that time to become DC's career strikeout leader with 382 in her four campaigns with the Jackets.

Lieto led Defiance with three hits to go along with her two RBI. Stucke finished the contest with two hits and two RBI, while Auzins drove in a game-high three runs.

Defiance (12-7) returns to action on Wednesday, April 1, when it travels to rival Bluffton University for a HCAC matchup. The opening contest of the twinbill is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.