WILMINGTON, Ohio - Defiance College swept a non-conference twinbill from the Wilmington College softball team on Sunday, winning game one 10-9 in come-from-behind fashion and taking the nightcap 4-0.
In game one, Kalin Hubble opened the scoring with a two-run home run to left field in the top of the first, but the Fightin' Quakers didn't waste time tying the game as Hayley Suchland doubled home Judea Wilson in the bottom of the inning for the host's first run. Lizz Hadley, the very next batter, singled through the left side, scoring Suchland from second.
WC took the lead in the second as Wilson singled home Sam Schwab, who walked and stole a base, in the bottom of the second. After a scoreless inning from both teams in the third, the Yellow Jackets got to Izzy Rothrock, who relieved starter Hannah Hall, in the fourth and fifth inning. A Quaker throwing error gave way to Marissa Roberts two-RBI double in the fourth. The visitors would add another in the fifth and take a 6-3 lead.
The Quakers, just like in the first inning, wouldn't trail for long. A six-hit, five-run bottom of the fifth capped by a double from pinch hitter Olivia Doll that scored two runs put the hosts back on top 8-6. The very next inning, Wilmington would load the bases with no outs, but scored just a single run on a steal of home from Lindsey Carter.
Defiance, seemingly bolstered by getting out a bases-loaded, no-out jam giving up just a single run, would use two Quaker errors and score four runs (three unearned) in the top of the seventh. Wilmington was retired in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Anika Craft, who relieved Defiance starter Taylor Briggs in the fifth, earned her seventh win of the year, allowing a single run on three hits in 2.1 innings. Alexis Stringfellow, who committee one of the WC errors in the seventh, took the loss allowing one run.
Hubble finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Yellow Jackets while Wilson and Hadley both had three hits for Wilmington while Suchland and Logann Julian both had two hits and drove in a run.
Wilmington's nine-run offensive performance wouldn't be replicated in the nightcap as Riley Alcorn pitched a two-hit shutout for Defiance. Stringfellow was the losing pitcher of record for the second consecutive game, allowing four earned runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts in four innings pitched.
The Quakers return to Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action with a twinbill against Otterbein University on Thursday.
