The Denison softball team closed out the 2016 regular season with a doubleheader sweep of Hiram College on Saturday in Granville. The Big Red won the opener 9-4 before taking the nightcap 5-1.

In game one, Denson used early offense to build a 7-0 lead after three innings. The Big Red took advantage of two errors in the first frame to grab a two-run lead, while five hits and another miscue resulted in four more in the second inning. DU's third-inning run came on a base hit up the middle by Mckinly Vazquez that scored Ricki Asher. Hiram pulled to within three with four runs in the fifth, but two tallies in the bottom of the sixth set the final score.

Sarah Herold and Lauren Secaras each recorded three hits, while Ryan Lee and Vazquez had two apiece. Kerry Hager, Secaras and Asher each scored twice. Herold picked up the victory in game one after surrendering four runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Junior Erin Laswell logged her second save of the season, giving up one hit with two strikeouts in the final three frames. Laswell's save also marked the team's sixth this season which ties the single-season school mark set in 2011.

In the finale, freshman Colleen Hoffman pitched a three-hit gem to lead the Big Red to a sweep of the Terriers. Hoffman (4-5) scattered three hits over seven innings, allowing one run with three strikeouts and a walk.

Offensively, DU used a two-home run third inning to break a scoreless tie. Following a Vazquez single to lead off the frame, Hager clubbed her first home run of the season to put the Big Red up 2-0. Two batters later, Lee left the yard for the second time this year to move the score to 3-0. Hager drove in Vazquez in the fourth to make it a four-run game. Hiram was able to plate a run in the fifth, but freshman Amanda Howell got it back with a RBI single in the bottom of the inning.

Lee and Vazquez both had two hits and two runs, while Hager also logged a pair of hits and drove in three of the five runs. Vazquez recorded her first triple of the year, while Lee registered her 11th double on the season.

With the sweep, Denison improves to 22-14 overall and finished the regular season with an 11-5 record, while the Terriers fall to 12-26 and 6-10 in league play. The Big Red will return to action next weekend when they travel to Greencastle, Ind. for the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

*Prior to the game, Denison recognized senior Annie McAuliffe for her three years of dedication to the program.