Softball earns key sweep against Anderson

Defiance, Ohio - The Defiance College softball team clinched a spot in the HCAC tournament with a sweep of Anderson Wednesday afternoon at Sal Hench Field. The Ravens fall to 8-27 overall and 3-12 in the HCAC and Defiance improves to 16-18 overall with a 7-5 mark in the HCAC. 

Game 1

Defiance 12, Anderson 3 (F/5)

After the Ravens scored an unearned run to begin the game, it was all Yellow Jackets after that as they went on to score 12 straight runs en route to the blowout win. 

Defiance would do their damage in the first inning all with two outs. Josilyn Guzman tripled, Destiny Coil doubled, and Lily Linke singled to give each one RBI in the inning. 

The Yellow Jackets would follow that up with an eight-run second inning. Guzman, Coil, and Laney Grimwood would each have a two-run double in the inning. Ali Mowen drew a bases loaded walk and Natalee Cooper scored on the play. Amber Krause grounded out and Grimwood would come around to score on an error by Anderson first baseman Faith Muterspaugh. 

The eight-run inning really put the finishing touches on this one. Anderson would add one run in both the fourth and fifth innings but it wouldn't be enough to extend the game.

Savannah McCoy (W, 6-8) started and went 3.1 innings, allowed one earned run and struck out one. Riley Alcorn pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowed one run and struck out two.

Marissa Roberts finished 3-for-4 and Destiny Coil finished with 4 RBIs. Madison Pueschel appeared in a game for the first time in her career and Camryn Bekkering saw action for the first time this year and the first since her freshman year. Genesis Brooks saw action for the eighth time this season and first since April 3.

Brook Reaves (L, 0-3) took the loss for Anderson and pitched 1.1 innings and allowed eight runs.

Game 2

Defiance 3, Anderson 0

This game was the exact opposite of game one and ended up being a pitching duel between Molly Buck and Anika Craft.

Craft retired the first eight batters she faced and struck out five of them. Josilyn Guzman and Destiny Coil led off the fourth inning with back-to-back hits. Amber Krause would step up and hit a sharp ground ball down the left field line to give Defiance a 1-0 lead. 

Defiance would add two insurance runs in the sixth for an extra cushion. Natalee Cooper and Marissa Roberts would each have RBI singles in the inning to pad the lead.

The Ravens got their first hit off Craft in the fifth inning and that would be only one of two hits in the game for Anderson as Craft dominated the lineup from start to finish. 

Craft improved to 9-7 with the complete game win and struck out eight. Roberts finished with three hits in the game giving her six total for the day and Krause had two hits. 

Molly Buck (L, 2-12) was a tough luck loser for the Ravens. She allowed 11 hits, three earned runs and struck out four. 

The Yellow Jackets head down to Cincinnati Saturday to play Mount St. Joseph. Game one begins at 1 p.m.