Jackets Hit With a Pair of One-Run Losses at Heidelberg

TIFFIN, Ohio – Heidelberg (12-2) had allowed more than two runs just once this season before facing Defiance. The Yellow Jackets passed the two-run barrier in both games of their doubleheader with the Berg, but fell one run short in both games as they dropped to 7-9 this season.

Shauna Bowers got the start in game one, and held Heidelberg scoreless through the first three innings before Megan Reinhart broke the 0-0 tie with her second home run of the season. Reinhart's homer brought in three runs, but Bowers was able to minimize the damage with three straight outs to end the inning.

Defiance struck back in the top of the fifth, when Elizabeth Huffman continued her breakout season with the first home run of her career. The junior outfielder launched a two-run shot with two outs, cutting the Jackets' deficit to one.

The Berg responded with four runs on five hits in the bottom of the frame to put the Jackets down by five with six outs to work with. Stucke tacked on one run in the top of the sixth by drawing a walk, stealing a base and advancing twice on throwing errors to make it a 7-3 game.

Kailea Holbrook, who came in to pitch for Defiance with two outs in the fifth inning, needed just four pitches to retire the side in the bottom of the sixth, and the Jackets went into the seventh inning needing four runs to tie the game. They got three.

Macy Ferrall, Aubrie Ridinger and Huffman began the inning with three-straight hits, and following a pitching change, DC got a pair of hits from Stucke and Marah Robinson that made it a one-run game with two runners on and two outs. The Berg's Ali Sayre got a strikeout looking to end the game, however, and the Student Princes escaped with the win despite surrendering their highest run total of the season.

Kelly Schnipke got the start in game two, and held the Berg to two runs through the first three innings. Katie Miller gave the Jackets their first run of the game in the top fourth with a solo home run, but the Student Princes added another run in the bottom of the inning to put DC behind by two.

Defiance got two runs in the top of the fifth, but once again, Heidelberg responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to reclaim the lead after six.

Stucke led off the seventh inning with a single, and Kaycee Butt reached base on an error to put the winning run on base with one out, but Heidelberg's Dana Thoms recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the game and drop DC to 0-4 on the road this season.

Defiance will finally get into its conference schedule on Saturday, when it hosts a doubleheader against the Grizzlies of Franklin College (3-4-1). Game one of the doubleheader is set for 1:30 p.m.