Yellow Jackets sweep Warriors in season finale

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Defiance College swept Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference opponent Rochester Chrisitan on Tuesday in its final contest of the season, while holding the Warriors to just two runs on the day. 

The 18-run performance from the Yellow Jackets helped shatter their 10-game WHAC losing streak, capped by freshman Emma Linn who had a standout performance in game two at Jaycee Field. 

Game 1: Defiance 3, Rochester Christian 1

The Yellow Jackets and Warriors competed in a low-scoring affair to start the day. Defiance kicked the scoring off with back-to-back reaches due to fielding errors by the first baseman. With a double to left field by Morgan Scott, Kaylee Heath and Anika Craft scored, unearned. Scott led the team in RBIs – the junior will finish with 41 on the season. 

At the bottom of the first inning, a single from Rochester Christian's Chloe Gildea earned her an RBI and became the sole run of the contest for the Warriors. 

In the fourth, Anna Emswiler notched the final run of the game as a single from Heath brought her in. After Tuesday's doubleheader, Heath will now complete the season with the longest-running hitting streak of the team — 14 games in-a-row. 

Devyn Hamilton pitched the full game with a 1.29 ERA, which is her lowest since going 0.00 in 10 innings as Defiance lost 1-2 to Cleary earlier this season. This was also Hamilton's first win on the mound and the most strikeouts of her career with four. 

Game 2: Defiance 7, Rochester Christian 1

Emma Linn jumpstarted Defiance's offense to begin the second contest as she homered to center field with bases loaded. Her four RBIs from the hit is the most on an individual play this season; Heath, Anika and Scott each crossed home plate. 

The top of the fifth inning featured a single and stolen base from Craft to earn her a spot on second when Linn stepped into the box for a single to left field. Linn earned her fifth RBI on the day – most of any individual in a single game or doubleheader this year – and Craft notched her second run of the game. At the top of the fourth, Madison Guggenbiller doubled and Ali Mowen singled to right field to haul in the runner, while a fielding error in the sixth allowed Emswiler to reach first with an RBI and Emma Rodgers to get her sole run of the day. 

Rochester Christian avoided a shutout in the sixth inning with a run and RBI, ending the second contest's scoring. 

Craft pitched the entirety of game two to round out her stellar four-year pitching career for the Yellow Jackets, making today the 36th complete game pitched for No. 7 in Defiance's all-time record books. On the day, she allowed one run, no walks and struck out seven batters to move to 5-14 on the season and 28-32 in her career. Additionally, the senior pitched four three up, three down innings in the game. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS  

• Emma Linn led the day hitting with a homer, five RBIs and three hits. 

• Ali Mowen (ss), Avery Roever (cf) and Linn (rf) each accounted for three outs in game one. 

• Madison Guggenbiller, Ariyoana Smith, Morgan Scott, Anna Emswiler and Roever had extra-base-hits alongside Linn's homer. 

• Anika Craft hit 50% with eight at-bats and three runs for the most on the team.

• Mowen, Guggenbiller and Emma Rodgers committed double plays in the field. 

• Guggenbiller led with 19 putouts in the doubleheader at first base. 

• Emswiler had 13 putouts at catcher. 

• Rodgers was responsible for four outs at second base and and an assist in game two. 

• RBIs on the day belonged to Linn, Mowen, Emswiler, Kaylee Heath and Scott (2).

• Tuesday's doubleheader sweep was Defiance's first since March 1 against West Virginia Tech. 

-JACKETS-