Hubble Improves Hitting Streak as Softball Sweeps Manchester

NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. - Freshman Kalin Hubble (Anderson, Ind.) registered her 11th straight game with a hit to lead the Purple and Gold to a sweep of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponent Manchester on Wednesday afternoon. Defiance claimed game one 8-7 and the night cap 17-15.

The Yellow Jackets (18-12 overall/7-3 HCAC) dominated game one early as they surged ahead to the 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Junior Brooke Gostomsky (Dayton/Covington) got the inning started for DC as she singled to left field before Hubble hit a shot through the middle. The Manchester pitcher would walk the bases loaded setting the stage for senior Jackie Hartman (Parma/Padua Franciscan) who delivered an RBI single that plated Hubble. 

The Purple and Gold carried the momentum into the second inning as junior Arianna Richards (Covington) reached first following a slap bunt to the pitcher. Gostomsky would score Richards later in the inning as she hit a two out double to left center before Hubble deemed clutch at the dish again with an RBI double to right center, 3-0. Senior Michaela Bauer (Hicksville) closed out the inning for DC as she recorded an RBI extending the DC advantage to 4-0.

Freshman Sophie Moller (Pickerington/North) provided the timely hit in the top of the third inning as the Yellow Jackets tacked on another run before a Manchester miscue gave Defiance the 6-0 lead. After adding another run in the top of the fourth inning, the Spartan offense found some life as they capitalized on a DC error that pulled Manchester within 7-4. 

The Spartans would tighten the contest in the next inning as a two run homer to left field cut the DC lead to 7-6. However, the Purple and Gold was able to combat the charge as they added another run in the top of the seventh following a sophomore Halie Geraci (Springboro) RBI single that secured the 8-7 victory. 

Senior Rachel Wehrman (Fort Loramie/Minster) got the win in the circle for the Purple and Gold as she improved to 8-7 overall on the year pitching six complete innings. Sophomore Taylor Biggs (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) tallied her second career save after registering the games final out. 

In game two, the Yellow Jackets used a huge second inning to claim the early 9-2 lead. With two outs, Geraci dealt the clutch hit before advancing to second off a Spartan hiccup. Senior Jordan Osborne (Delaware Rutherford B. Hayes) would score Geraci on the next at bat with a double to left center that plated two runs. The scoring frenzy continued for the Purple and Gold as Gostomsky continued her strong day at the plate with an RBI single to right field that scored another DC run. Hubble registered her eighth career homerun to push the lead to 6-0 before Hartman got in on the excitement later in the inning with a dinger to left field that gave Defiance the commanding 9-2 lead. 

However, Manchester responded in the bottom half of the inning as they scored six runs on six hits to pull within 9-8 before capturing their first lead in the bottom of the third inning. The Spartans would score their first run off a DC wild pitch before an RBI single to left field and another Defiance error gave them the 12-9 advantage. The final run of the inning would come following a double to left field that topped a six run third inning. 

Trailing 15-9 in the top of the fifth inning, Moller looked to spark the Defiance offense as she homered to left center. Osborne tacked on another DC run late in the inning as she doubled to center field scoring Geraci before Gostomsky and Hubble delivered homeruns pulling the Purple and Gold back within 15-14. 

The Purple and Gold would deliver the games winning run in the top of the seventh as Hubble singled to center field scoring the games winning run en route to the 17-15 sweep.

The Yellow Jackets return to action on Saturday, April 20 as they travel to Cincinnati, Ohio for a double header with Conference leading Mount St. Joseph. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.