HANOVER, Ind. (March 27, 2022) – After earning a 5-4 win over the No. 21-ranked team in NCAA Division III during its home opener only three days prior, the Denison University softball team traveled to Indiana for a doubleheader at Hanover College. In the end, the Big Red swept the Panthers by scores of 12-2 in six innings in game one and then 15-6 in game two on Sunday. The games were moved to back a day to Sunday due to projected frigid temperatures on Saturday.
 
Game 1 (Denison 12, Hanover 2):

• The Big Red were off and running in the top of the first inning after an RBI-single to center field by Caitlin Ellwanger and a two-run single down the left field line by Clara Wolff.
• Then in the top of the second inning, Maggie Ballentine came up with a three-run homer to double up Denison's lead to 6-0.
• Ballentine added another RBI on a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the fourth before Ellwanger hit an RBI-double to right center later in the inning.
• Jessica Hopkins finished 4-for-4 while Ellwanger was 3-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs scored, Claire Powell was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and Ballentine had four RBI's.
• Sydney Silverstein (3-4), meanwhile, pitched all six innings allowing five hits, two total runs and one earned run to earn the third win of her freshman season.

 
Game 2 (Denison 15, Hanover 6):

• Just like they did in game one, the Big Red got on the scoreboard in the first inning in game two, but it came in an unconventional way as Powell led off the game with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Panthers' third baseman. Then after Ballentine reached on a fielder's choice and Powell advanced to third, Ballentine stole second base and drew the throw from the Panthers' catcher that allowed Powell to score the first run of the game.
• Down 5-1 in the top of the fourth inning, Denison rallied to get back into the game and even take the lead by scoring five runs on three hits and two Hanover errors, with the big blow being a two-out, two-run home run by Annabelle Calderon to bring the Big Red from down one to up by one at 6-5.
• Tied 6-6 in the fifth inning, an RBI-double to left field by Ballentine broke the tie and gave the Big Red their third lead of the game up 7-6.
• At that point, Silverstein came in as a relief pitcher and got three straight outs in the fifth before the Denison offense expanded its lead with a five-run top of the sixth inning.
• After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth, Silverstein got three straight strikeouts, and then got three straight outs in the seventh to earn her second save of the season.
• For the second game in a row, Denison had three players with at least three hits as Jacqui Abogado was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI's; Powell was 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI's; and Calderon was 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI's and a home run. Additionally, Ballentine had four RBI's for the second game in a row.

 
Records:

• Denison improved to 7-8 overall on the season and 6-3 on the road while Hanover fell to 5-11 and saw its losing streak reach six games.

 
Next Up: Denison will return home for three straight doubleheaders, starting at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, against Capital University. The Big Red will then kick off the month of April by opening up North Coast Athletic Conference action against Kenyon College on Saturday, April 2, before hosting Heidelberg University in nonconference action the next day on Sunday, April 3.