By: Nick Taflinger, sports information assistant
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team traveled to rival Defiance College on Wednesday, April 10. The Beavers were dominated in both games, dropping the first game by the score of 10-1 in five innings and game two (8-0) also in five innings. The Beavers are now 6-20 and 1-3 in Heartland Conference play. Defiance improved to 14-10 with a 5-1 mark in HCAC contests.
The Beavers worked the Yellow Jackets in the opening inning as they sent seven batters to the plate. Senior Casey Clark (Lima/Central Catholic) drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs, sending Kelsey Reeder (Galion/Northmor) across the dish for a 1-0 lead thanks to three walks and a hit batter in the first frame.
The home team scored two runs in the first and again in second, stretching the lead to 4-1. And in the bottom of the fourth they doubled their runs when the Jackets scored four in the inning. A two-run bomb in the bottom of the fifth ended it with Defiance taking the lidlifter by a 10-1 count.
Annie McCrate (Westerville/South) went 1-for-1 as she blasted a double in the second inning. Courtney Jasinski (Englewood/Northmont) and Caylin Morstadt (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) both went 1-of-2 thanks to back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth.
Molly Bollinger (Lima/Shawnee) got the start in the circle and she went 1.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while dropping to 2-4 on the season. Alexis Montemarano (Brook Park) threw the final three innings for the Beavers and gave up six runs on six hits.
It took until there was one out in the top of the fifth, but McCrate broke up the game-two no-no with a single to center before being thrown out while trying for two bases. Defiance scored in every inning, highlighted by three runs in the third and back-to-back solo homers in the fifth that ended the game at 8-0 in five innings due to the mercy rule.
Katie McCord (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) went the distance for the Beavers, giving up eight runs on eight hits. She now stands at 2-7 on the season.
Bluffton will get a chance to bounce back on Saturday, April 13, when they welcome Franklin College into Beavertown. The first game is set to start at 1 PM. It is forecast to be a comfortable 60 degrees in Bluffton, but no sunshine and some wind. Come on out to support your home teams as the baseball bunch is at Memorial Field for a 1 PM conference doubleheader with Mount St. Joseph as well! Go Beavers!
-BEAVERS-