GRANVILLE, Ohio (April 16, 2022) – The Denison University softball team was swept for the first time in North Coast Athletic Conference action so far this season, falling 8-3 in game one and 4-2 in game two at home against No. 9 nationally-ranked DePauw University.
 
Game 1 (Denison 3, No. 9 DePauw 8)

• Playing against one of the top pitchers in NCAA Division III, Cami Henry (18-5), the Big Red were held hitless through six innings with their only base runner to that point being a one-out walk by Caitlin Ellwanger in the bottom of the fifth.
• Then in the bottom of the seventh, Maggie Ballentine led off with a single to third base for Denison's first hit of the day before Denison scored three runs on three hits in the frame.
• The three runs for Denison in the bottom of the seventh could have made the game interesting if not for a five-run top of the fifth inning on six hits for the Tigers.

 
Game 2 (Denison 2, No. 9 DePauw 4)

• Denison and Ballentine used their momentum from the bottom of the seventh in game one to get off to a good start against Henry in game two as Ballentine led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to left center field to put the Big Red up 1-0.
• After DePauw took the lead with back-to-back two-out RBI-doubles to left field in the top of the third, Denison tied it in the bottom half as Claire Powell led off with a bunt single, stole second base with one out and then scored on an RBI-single to right field by Jessica Hopkins.
• Unfortunately, the Big Red stranded back-to-back singles in the fourth inning and then had a runner thrown out at home after a flyout to left field to end the fifth, leading to a top of the sixth for DePauw that started with three straight singles and then saw an RBI-groundout and a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.
• Denison then left two runners on base for the fourth time in the game in the bottom of the sixth inning before going down 1-2-3 to Henry in the seventh.

 
Records:

• Denison dropped to 13-16 overall and .500 (4-4) in the NCAC, and has now lost 13 games in a row to DePauw (24-6, 8-0) since 2018.

 
Next Up: Denison will host the second of three straight conference series at home as the Big Red welcome the College of Wooster to the Denison Softball Field starting at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19. The game was originally scheduled for April 9 before being pushed back 10 days due to weather.