Defiance Splits Games on Final Day of Florida Schedule

KISSIMMEE, FLA.  --  The Defiance College softball team wrapped-up its Florida schedule with a two-game split, falling to Coe (Iowa) College, 15-7 in five innings, and beating Montclair (N.J.) State University, 5-4, in Kissimmee, Fla.

In the game against Coe, Defiance (5-5) scored three runs in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice by junior Megan Warren (Mason) and a two-run homerun by sophomore Keri Hupp (Louisville).  Coe (11-2) answered with five unanswered runs beginning with two in the bottom of the first and three more in the second to lead 5-3.

The Yellow Jackets added a run in the third on a RBI-single by freshman Michaela Bauer (Hicksville) to make it a one-run game, 5-4.  The Kohawks continued the scoring in their half of the inning, plating three more runs to extend the margin to 8-4.  DC answered with three runs of its own in its ensuing at-bats that included a sacrifice by sophomore Kaity Kuhn (Celina) and a pair of RBI-singles by Warren and Hupp to get back to within a run, 8-7.  

But those would be the final runs Defiance would score as Coe went on to add four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to put the eight-run rule into effect and go on to the 15-7 final.

DC had nine hits in the game and was led by the duo of Hupp and Warren with a pair of hits each.  Hupp went two-of-three overall to go along wtih a run scored and three RBI.  Warren was a perfect two-of-two with two runs scored and two RBI.  Five other Jackets each recorded a base hit.

Defiance would use four pitchers in the game with sophomore Sarah Kaya (Lorain/Clearview) getting the start, and the loss, after going one and two-thirds innings giving up five runs on six hits.

Against Montclair State, the Red Hawks got on the scoreboard first with a run in the top of the first inning to grab an early 1-0 lead.  Defiance scored all of its runs in the bottom of the third crossing the plate five times with RBI base hits by Kuhn, Warren, Bauer and a two-RBI double by freshman Jackie Hartman (Parma/Padua Franciscan) to lead 5-1.

Montclair (5-4) chipped away at the DC lead with a run in the fifth and would plate two runs in the seventh to get to within one run, 5-4.  But before the Red Hawks could score any more runs, the Yellow Jacket defense recorded back-to-back outs to end the game and seal the 5-4 victory.

Defiance had one mulit-hit performance against Montclair in Bauer who finished two-of-three overall in addition to her RBI.  Five other players each recorded a base hit in the win.

Kaya rallied from her earlier game with a five-inning, two run effort to claim the win and improve to 4-3 overall for the season.  She also recorded one strikeout against the Red Hawks.  Sophomore Sydni Smith (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) pitched the final two innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit and got her first save of the season.

Defiance will head north and take on Olivet (Mich.) College on Friday, Mar. 18 in non-conference doubleheader in Olivet, Mich.  The first game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.