Softball travels to Wittenberg for season opener

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio- On Wednesday afternoon, the Defiance College softball team opened the 2021 season with a doubleheader at Wittenberg University. The Yellow Jackets dropped a close opening game 7-6 before ending game two in a 3-3 tie, which was called due to darkness. 

In game one, Wittenberg took an early five-run lead in the first inning. Defiance answered back in the top of the third as McKenzie Baker led with a single to left field. Marissa Roberts and Hali Geraci had back-to-back singles to load the bases for Kalin Hubble, who had a clutch two-run double to get the Yellow Jackets on the board. A sacrifice fly from Sophie Moller cuts the Tiger lead to 5-3. 

The home side answered back with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the sixth inning, freshman Natalee Cooper doubled to score Josilyn Guzman and later scored on a passed ball. Defiance made it a one-run ball game headed into the seventh inning, but despite the late-game scoring effort, Wittenberg took game one by a score of 7-6.  

The Yellow Jackets were edged in hits, 8-7, and committed two of the three errors in the contest. 

On the mound, Taylor Biggs pitched 3.0 innings, facing 21 batters, and was tagged with the loss for game one. Freshmen Savannah McCoy and Riley Alcorn made their college debuts, finishing out the game in relief. McCoy pitched 2.0 innings facing nine batters, while Alcorn pitched one inning and faced four hitters. 

In game two, Wittenberg struck first again, scoring a run in the first inning. The Yellow Jackets tacked on a run in the fourth inning as Roberts led off with a single to center field, and later Moller scored her with an RBI single to tie the score at 1-1. 

The Purple and Gold took the lead in the seventh inning as Guzman singled up the middle to score McCoy, who pinch ran for Hubble. Lily Linke drove in another run to give Defiance a 3-1 lead, headed into the bottom of half of the inning. The Tigers were able to manufacture two runs to tie the game 3-3; the game was then called due to darkness. 

Offensively, the Tigers registered eight hits to the Yellow Jackets five, and defensively, each team was guilty of two errors. 

Defiance used two pitchers as Jyllien Welk made her collegiate debut, starting on the mound and throwing 6.0 innings while facing 28 batters before Biggs came in for relief in the seventh inning. 

The Yellow Jackets sit at 0-1-1 on the season and will be back in action this Saturday, March 13, as they host Hope College at the Sal Hench Field for a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 1:00 pm.