DC Softball Reaches 500-Win Milestone in Win Over Transylvania

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Yellow Jacket softball program reached an impressive mark of 500 wins on Sunday afternoon against Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Transylvania. This is the 32nd year for the program and seven of the last eight seasons have produced at least 20 wins.

Defiance won the first game of the day behind a dominant pitching performance from sophomore Kailea Holbrook and another impressive offensive display at the plate from sophomore Jordan Sawmiller. Holbrook tossed a complete game shutout, while scattering five hits and one walk over seven innings for her third win of the season.

The game was a pitchers' duel through five innings as both offenses were stifled by the starting pitchers.

In the bottom of the sixth, freshman Tori Plummer reached on an error from the third baseman to lead off the inning. Senior Jessica Mandula followed up with a bunt single to put runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third by Elizabeth Huffman, the Yellow Jackets' hottest hitter stepped up to the dish. Sawmiller scorched a single right up the middle to plate two runs and give the Jackets a 2-0 lead.

With the hit, Sawmiller had totaled eight runs batted in and eight hits in her last four games.

In game two of the doubleheader, the Pioneers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first as freshman Lauren Dicke walked two of the first three batters and then allowed an RBI single to right field.

The Purple and Gold fought back in the bottom of the second and reclaimed the lead off of Sara Ankeney and Kaitlyn Samples RBI singles, however the Jackets had bases loaded with only one out and were unable to push anymore runs across.

Transylvania managed to take back the lead in the top of the fourth, as it pieced together a couple of hits and a walk. The Pioneers got two runs to take a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish. Transylvania tacked on another run in the top of the seventh to go on to a 4-2 victory.

With the split, Defiance's overall record moves to 4-11 and its HCAC record is 1-1. The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Monday, March 26 at 3:30 p.m. when they host St. Mary's College.