The Denison softball team rallied from two huge deficits to sweep a doubleheader from Mount St. Joseph on Sunday afternoon in Granville, Ohio. DU erased a seven-run deficit in a 13-9 game-one victory, while Denison battled back from nine runs downd to win an 11-10 game.

The Big Red were two outs away from a run-rule loss, facing a nine-run deficit with two outs.  Sophomore Lauren Secaras reached on an infield single which moved Mckinly Vazquez to second base. After Amanda Howell loaded the bases by drawing a base-on-balls, pinch hitter Katie Nichols drove in DU's first run of the fifth with a base hit up the middle. With the bases still full, starting pitcher Paige Kiesewetter induced a pop out to short that left the Lions one out away from ending the game.

Junior captain Ryan Lee provided the offense needed to extend the game with a base hit to left that scored Secaras and Howell, while a misplayed ball in left allowed Nichols to score the third run of the play and Lee to reach third. Freshman Maddy Cormier kept the hit parade going with an infield single that scored Lee, shrinking the deficit to 10-6.

Following a single by Sarah Herold and a walk to Vazquez, the Big Red once again had the bases loaded with two outs. Junior Erin Laswell, who entered the game in relief inside the circle, plated the next two runs with a base hit to right center. That base hit forced MSJ to make a pinching change, bringing in Danielle Nichelson for Kiesewetter. The first batter Nichelson faced was Secaras who tied the contest at 10-10 with a triple to right center. Denison took its first lead of the game when Howell doubled in the go-ahead run with a double to left field.

Mount St. Joseph tried to push across the game-tying run in the sixth after loading the bases with one out. However, a heads up play by Lee to cut down a runner at the plate left DU one out away from escaping the jam. Nicholson, who was on the hook for the loss, followed by hit a pop up along the first-base line. While running to first, Nicholson was called out for interference after running into with Secaras who was trying to make the grab in foul territory. The collision brought Nicholson's day to an end.

In the top of the seventh, Laswell found herself three outs away from earning her first win of 2016. The junior got her counterpart, Kiesewetter, to fly out to Laura Bagan for the first out. With two runners in scoring position, Laswell induced a groundout to Lee that failed to plate the game-tying run. Down to their final strike, Olivia Quick hit a ground ball that was fielded by Nichols and tossed to Secaras for the final out of the game.

Secaras finished 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs, while Lee and Laswell each drove in a pair. Vazquez drew four walks and scored two runs, while Howell had a single, an RBI, a run and worked three walks. Laswell (1-0) earned the win after tossing 3.2 innings in relief. The junior gave up four runs on eight hits in her second appearance this season.

In game one, Denison found itself in an 8-1 hole after an inning and a half. The Big Red cut into the margin in the second with four runs on four hits. Both Lee and Kerry Hager provided two-run hits to shrink the deficit to 8-5. After putting up a scoreless third, DU made it a one-run game in the third when the pitcher Herold singled in Bagan and Ricki Asher. In their next trip to the dish, Denison continued its scoring streak with three runs on three more hits. Asher knocked in a pair with a base hit up the middle, while a wild pitcher allowed the freshman to cross the plate.

Hager and the Lions' Katie Tarter drove in runs in the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth, respectively, to push the score to 11-9. In the home half of the sixth, Asher scored on a base hit by Vazquez, while a misplayed ball in left allowed Bagan to score. Herold finished off come-from-behind win by retiring the side in order in the seventh.

Herold (6-3) picked up the win after going the distance in the offensive battle. In addition to tossing a complete-game, the sophomore also paced the offensive with a 4-for-5 showing with two RBIs and a run scored. Hager finished with two hits and three RBIs, while Asher scored four of the team's 13 runs, picked up two this and drove in a pair. Bagan touched the dish three times, while Lee knocked in two.

Denison improves to 11-9 on the year, while Mount St. Joseph falls to 9-12-1. The Big Red will open North Coast Athletic Conference play on Wednesday (April 6) when they travel to Oberlin for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader.