The Denison softball team opened North Coast Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Kenyon on Tuesday afternoon in Granville, Ohio. The Big Red shut out the Ladies 8-0 in five innings in game one before posting a 3-1 victory in the finale.

In the opener, Denison used a combination of high-powered offense and strong pitching to finish off Kenyon in just five innings. After pitching a scoreless top of the first, sophomore pitcher Sarah Herold led off the bottom of the frame with an infield single to second. Following a sacrifice bunt by Maddie Crull and a base hit by Kerry Hager, Denison had runners at the corner with one out.

Sophomore Lauren Secaras followed with a single off the glove of first baseman Lindsey Susolik that scored Herold. Freshman Amanda Howell kept the hit parade going with a double to center that allowed Hager and Secaras to touch the dish.  After moving to third on a wild pitch, Howell eventually came around to score on a base hit by Laura Bagan.

The Big Red added to their lead in the second when Secaras doubled in Hager, while a sacrifice fly to right by Mckinly Vazquez in the third plated Bagan. DU entered the fifth frame with a 6-0 lead, two runs away from a run-rule victory. Back-to-back singles by Ricki Asher and Bagan to open the inning put the game-winning run on first with no outs. Junior Ryan Lee followed with a double to left center that scored Asher and Bagan, bringing the game to an end in the fifth.

Herold earned the win after scattering three hits and striking out three in five innings of work. The sophomore southpaw needed just 56 pitches to earn the game-one victory. In addition to her work inside the circle, Herold also picked up a hit and scored a run. Bagan led the offensive charge by going a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, which included the game-ending score. Hager, Secaras and Lee all registered two hits, while Secaras, Lee and Howell finished with two RBIs each. Hager also scored twice in the win.

Herold started the nightcap inside the circle and picked up right where she left off in game one, retiring the first nine batters in order. The sophomore also scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first after reaching base on a single to right center. Herold came around to score on a two-out double to center by Secaras.

Kenyon made it a 1-1 game in the top of the fourth when Jane Ghublikian scored on a single by Lindsey Susolik. Denison answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-run double to left by Hager that drove in Vazquez and Katie Nichols.

Following a one-out double and a free pass in the fifth, Secaras took over for Herold inside the circle which moved Herold to center and brought Vazquez in to play first. After inducing a ground out for the second out, a walk to Susolik loaded the bases for Molly O'Connor. The Ladies' designated player became a strikeout victim for the third time on just three pitches from Secaras. The sophomore followed that with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to secure her second save of the season.

Herold improved to 8-3 on the year after picking up her second win of the day. She allowed one run on just three hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 5.1 innings of work. Herold retired the side in order in four of those innings. Secaras tossed 1.2 hitless innings, fanning one and walking another. Asher was 2-for-2 with a double in the second game, while Herold and Vazquez had two hits and a run scored each.

Denison improves to 13-9 on the year and 2-0 in the NCAC, while Kenyon falls to 13-10-1 and 2-2 in league play. The Big Red returns to action on Thursday (April 14) when they play a make-up doubleheader at Oberlin. Game one is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.