Defiance rallies to win second game over UNOH on Wednesday

DEFIANCE, Ohio - In Wednesday's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference softball action at Sal Hench Field, the Defiance Yellow Jackets bounced back from a 7-3 loss to start the day and defeated the UNOH Racer 5-4 in the second game of the doubleheader.

The Yellow Jackets (13-15, 8-4 WHAC) maintained third place in the WHAC standings by splitting the twinbill after the Racers (23-17, 9-5 WHAC) handed DC its first home loss of the season.

Game 1 - UNOH 7, Defiance 3
The Racers built a 7-0 lead with timely hitting and a strong starting effort by pitcher Lanie Wooten (Win, 11-11). Defiance held UNOH to just one run in the second with a double play that cut down a run at the plate but the Racers struck for 3 more in the third. Emma Rodgers relieved Madelyn Hopper (Loss, 5-4) in the fourth, limiting UNOH to a pair of runs. Offensively, Ali Mowen started the game with a single but the Jackets were held hitless until she doubled in the sixth to start a 3-run rally. Catherine Trebley, Madison Guggenbiller and Emma Linn all pushed runs across in the inning but DC was turned away in a 1-2-3 seventh frame to end the first contest.

Game 2 - Defiance 5, UNOH 4
The Yellow Jackets overcame a 4-0 deficit to beat the Racers in Game 2. UNOH posted 2 runs in the first and fifth, but DC pitcher Taighen Zipfel did not allow a hit outside those innings. Zipfel enjoyed a stretch of 10 straight hitters retired from the second into the fifth and later sat down the last 7 Racers that came to the plate. The sophomore also got in on the offensive action by helping ignite a 5-run fifth inning for DC. After Zipfel laced a 2-out single to right and Hopper worked a 2-out walk, Ali Mowen singled home a pair to break up the shutout. An error loaded the bases and a Trebley walk pushed in the third run of the inning. UNOH turned back to Wooten to pitch in relief of Karsyn McGlothen (Loss, 6-3) but Paige Stewart delivered a clutch, 2-run single to put the Jackets in front.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The comeback victory was the team's fifth win trailing at any point in the game and the third conference win while trailing in the fifth inning or later.
• Ali Mowen led the offense from the leadoff spot going a combined 3-for-6 with a walk, double and 2 RBIs.
• Ciara Blankenship (2-for-5) was the only other player to record a base hit in each game as the team was limited to 12 total hits on the day.
• Catherine Trebley extended her hitting streak to 11 games in the first game and worked a walk to increase her on-base streak to 12 games in Game 2.
• Taighen Zipfel went 2-for-2 at the plate in the second ballgame. She also finished her fourth complete game of the season and second in a row to guide DC to another big conference victory.

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets travel to Michigan this weekend for a pair of WHAC doubleheaders. On Friday, DC plays at Cornerstone beginning at 3 p.m. and will head to Aquinas on Saturday at 1 p.m.

-JACKETS-