Softball swept by Hope in home opener

Defiance, Ohio - The Defiance softball team opened the home portion of their schedule Monday afternoon at Defiance High School against Hope College. Hope won game one 10-0 in five innings and won game two 6-5. Hope improves to 3-2 and Defiance falls to 0-6.

Game one (L,10-0)

• Hope led 4-0 in the fourth inning and added six runs in the inning for the run rule win.

• Haley Bennett cleared the bases on a double to give Hope a 7-0 lead.

• Lexi Potapczak sealed the deal with a two-run double and Kate Demann sealed the deal with an RBI double of her own.

• Anna Emswiler, Anika Craft, and Savanah Bergman were retired in order in the fifth to end the game.

Inside The Numbers

• Marissa Roberts recorded the only hit for the Yellow Jackets in the game.

• Savannah McCoy and Riley Alcorn both pitched in the game. McCoy took the loss, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing five earned runs.

• Brooke Silcox drew a walk in the game.

• Haley Bennett had 3 RBIs for Hope.

• Emily Martin, Cayley Ebeling, and Kennedi Pochmara each had two hits for Hope.

Game two (L, 6-5)

• The Yellow Jackets committed two errors in the first inning but Anika Craft picked up her defense and got out of the inning unscathed. 

• Craft walked Peyton Benjamin and Hope took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

• Lexi Potapczak drove in two with a double to give Hope a 3-0 lead in the third.

• Defiance loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third. Marissa Roberts grounded out to bring in one run and Brooke Silcox grounded out to end the inning.

• Hope added two more runs in the fourth inning. Doing the damage was Peyton Benjamin and Kate Demann.

• The Yellow Jackets stormed back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Ali Mowen and Laney Grimwood each singled to bring in one run. Anika Craft tied the game with a two-run single.

• Hope once again had an answer in the fifth inning as DeMann drew a walk to bring in a run. That run would prove to be the difference in the game.

• Brooke Silcox singled with one out in the final inning but Josilyn Guzman struck out and Anna Emswiler to end the threat.

Inside The Numbers:

• Anika Craft pitched all seven innings for Defiance and took the loss. 

• Craft and Brooke Silcox had two hits each and Craft drove in two runs.

• Ali Mowen had one hit and drew two walks.

• Lexi DeHoop had two hits for Hope.

• Samantha Vermeesch pitched three innings, struck out six and earned the win for Hope.

Up Next:

• The Yellow Jackets will return to the field Monday, March 13 against Wisconsin-Stout and Lakeland University in Florida.