Softball continues to roll, opens conference play with sweep of Rose-Hulman

Terre Haute, Ind. - Defiance softball extended their winning streak to nine games Saturday afternoon with a sweep of Rose-Hulman to open conference play. The Yellow Jackets improve to 9-11 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The losses dropped Rose-Hulman to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in conference. 

Game 1

Final: Defiance 10, Rose-Hulman 3

Win: Savannah McCoy (3-5)

Loss: Phoebe Worstell (3-4)

Save: None

The catalyst for the win was six runs in the first two innings. The Yellow Jackets plated four in the first and two more in the second. 

In the first inning, Josilyn Guzman and Lily Linke had RBI singles, while Guzman and Ali Mowen would later each score on an error. In the second inning, Brooke Silcox had an RBI single and Guzman grounded out to score Silcox.

A home run by the Engineers' Nicole Lang cut the deficit in half, 6-3, in the fifth inning. 

That would be as close as Rose-Hulman would get as Defiance plated two runs each in the final two innings to cap off the win. Ali Mowen hit a two-run single and Guzman topped it off with a home run in the final inning. 

Savannah McCoy went the distance for the Yellow Jackets, striking out three and all three runs were earned.

Phoebe Worstell went the distance for Rose-Hulman, striking out six and allowing eight earned runs. Nicole Lang finished with two hits and two RBIs.

Game 2

Final: Defiance 7, Rose-Hulman 4

Win: Anika Craft (5-4)

Loss: Ashley Pinkham (2-2)

Save: None

Same as game one, Defiance got off to a quick start and took an early 5-0 lead by scoring in the second, third, and fourth innings.

Anna Emswiler started it with an RBI groundout and that would be the only run in the second inning. 

Two RBI singles from Brooke Silcox, one from Josilyn Guzman, and a Laney Grimwood home run would give Defiance their early 5-0 lead. 

Anika Craft retired the first 10 batters she faced. With one out in the fourth inning, the Fightin' Engineers would fight back. They plated two in the inning and Nicole Lang homered again in the sixth and Defiance would lead 5-4 going into the final inning. 

The Yellow Jackets, however, had an answer as they tacked on two big insurance runs in the final inning. Anna Emswiler had an RBI single and Anika Craft hit a sacrifice fly to make the game 7-4. Those runs would prove big as the Fightin' Engineers brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Craft struck out the first two before issuing a walk and a base hit and MaKenzie Morgan was forced out at third base by Brooke Silcox to end the game.

Anika Craft and Ashley Pinkham both pitched all seven innings. Craft struck out eight and Pinkham struck out five. 

Brooke Silcox and Anna Emswiler each drove in two runs. Katelyn Sarvis had three hits for Rose-Hulman.

The Yellow Jackets completed the sweep with 28 hits - 14 in each game. Silcox finished the day 6-for-7 with four RBIs. Guzman ended the day 5-for-8 with four RBIs.

The Yellow Jackets are back at it Monday at Adrian. Game one begins at 4 p.m.