DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Earlham College softball team split a conference doubleheader at Defiance College on Monday afternoon.
GAME ONE: EARLHAM 7 DEFIANCE 6
Tatum Rickert started out in the circle for game one with five innings pitched, four earned runs and four strikeouts.
Morgan Cooksey earned the win with two innings pitched, two earned runs and three strikeouts.
Offensively, the top of the Quaker lineup excelled at the plate with four hits and five RBI from the top two hitters in the lineup.
Keely Hubbard went 2-for-4 with two RBI, a run scored, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly. Batting second,
Bella Schatko went 2-for-4 with three RBI, and a run scored.
After two walks and an error started the game in the bottom of the first inning, the Yellow Jackets scored a run on a hit by pitch. Rickert escaped the bases-loaded jam with just one run scored.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the second inning, Hubbard hit a single through the left side of the infield to bring
Ariel Clarkston home for the first Quaker run. Schatko then earned an RBI on a walk as the next batter.
Defiance plated a run in the bottom of the third inning as a result of a throwing error by the EC infield.
Malaya Tanglao got the run going in the top of the sixth inning with a two-out double. Hubbard reached base on a single, and stole second in the next at-bat. With two outs and two baserunners, Schatko singled through the left side for one run, and reached second base on an error. Tanglao came home from third, and Hubbard also scored on the play with an error. The Quakers then loaded the bases again in the inning, and plated a run on an error by the Defiance second baseman.
After the three-spot by Earlham in the top of the inning, Defiance retook the lead on a grand slam to left field.
The Quakers quickly loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with no outs. After an infield fly, Hubbard hit a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at six. Then Schatko gave EC the lead on a single down the left field line for the seventh and final run of the game for the Quakers.
GAME TWO: EARLHAM 0 DEFIANCE 5
Cooksey was given the loss in game two with five innings pitched, four runs and four strikeouts. Rickert came in for one inning with a strikeout.
Offensively, Hubbard went 1-for-3.
Kylie Rayburn went 1-for-2 as the catcher in game two.
Earlham will continue action on Saturday at Franklin College for a doubleheader.
