Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania softball team witnessed a milestone day in cruising to a doubleheader sweep of the Defiance College Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon at Hall Field.
Starting pitcher Kameron Bowling registered her 400th career strikeout to lead the Pioneers to a 5-2 victory over Defiance in the opener before Transylvania used a first-inning burst and steady pitching from Cece Wittry to clinch a 7-2 win against Defiance in the nightcap.
The Pioneers improved to 16-8 overall and 6-2 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play while Defiance dropped to 10-15-1 overall and 2-4 in the conference standings.
The Pioneers used an RBI from Stella Wulker in the bottom of the first to take a go-ahead lead as Bowling quickly befuddled the Yellow Jacket order, striking out four hitters over the first two innings. The fourth strikeout of the game for Bowling was her 400th, further cementing one of the great Transy softball pitching careers.
Bowling continued her mastery by striking out the side in the ensuing third inning. The Pioneers opened up the game in the bottom of the fourth as Wulker led off with a base hit and Annie Schuck followed with a one-out double to score Wulker. Abby Frazier delivered an RBI base hit to score pinch runner Jordyn Powell, raising Transylvania's margin to 3-0.
Defiance threatened the Pioneers in the sixth with a two-run output, cutting the lead to one for the home team but Schuck instantly rebuilt the cushion with a two-run blast to deep left field in the bottom of the frame, forming a 5-2 ballgame in favor of the Pioneers.
Bowling put the finishing touches on a career day by striking out two final batters and ending the game on a captivating fly ball to shallow centerfield for her 12th complete game of the season. The senior finished with 11 strikeouts against six hits and three walks issued.
Schuck went 2 for 3 with a home run and a double while Frazier went 2 for 3 with an RBI and two stolen bases.
Transylvania upped the ante in the following game with a four-run explosion in the bottom of the first, courtesy of a Taylor Senter run via an infielding error. The Pioneers loaded the bases in the inning and Allyson O'Dell cleared them with a three-run double to once again provide Transylvania with a day-long lead at 4-0 early.
Game two starter Cece Wittry held the Yellow Jackets in check as Defiance was blanked for the first four innings. Wittry showed off her own two-way ability with a bunt single that allowed Becca Messing to reach home with the aid of a throwing error in the bottom of the fourth, resulting in a 5-0 Transy lead. The Pioneers added one more run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI from Frazier to increase the advantage to 6-0.
Defiance added one run each in the fifth and sixth innings but Wittry again put her omnipotent stamp on the game with an RBI single in the sixth to score Childers for a 7-2 final tally.
Wittry went 6.1 innings, striking out three, allowing one walk and five hits to improve her record to 6-1 on the rubber, while leading all players at bat with a 3 for 4 showing with an RBI. Childers, Senter, and O'Dell each tallied two hits in the capper.
Transylvania is back in action next Saturday, April 24 to kick off a full weekend at home with an afternoon doubleheader against Rose-Hulman scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Hall Field.
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