GRANVILLE, Ohio (April 23, 2022) – The Denison University softball team recognized five seniors and hosted Allegheny College on its Senior Day for 2022. In the end, the Big Red lost a close 3-2 final in game one before scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and walking it off with a three-run home run by freshman Jacqui Abogado to win game two 7-4 at the Denison Softball Field.
 
Game 1 (Denison 2, Allegheny 3)

• Allegheny hit a two-run home run to open the scoring in the top of the second inning before Denison tied it with a two-run double to left center by senior Sam Kline in the bottom of the fourth.
• Unfortunately, the Big Red left the bases loaded in the fourth and then were thrown out at home to end the bottom of the sixth on a play that could have given Denison a one-run lead heading into the final inning.
• Instead, the Gators took advantage of their opportunity as a two-out single to second base scored what would go on to be the winning run after Denison went down 1-2-3 with three fly outs in the bottom of the seventh.
• Clara Wolff was the lone Big Red player with two hits in game one, going 2-for-3 with a double.
• Sydney Silverstein (7-8) pitched all seven innings for her second complete game in as many days. She finished with six hits, three runs and only one walk against her.

Game 2 (Denison 7, Allegheny 4)

• Down 4-0 after three innings, Denison began its comeback in the bottom of the fifth as an RBI-double to left field by senior Jessica Hopkins and an RBI-single up the middle by Annabelle Calderon, both with two outs, put the Big Red into the scoring column.
• After Allegheny left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, a single up the middle by Wolff scored Kline to make it only a one-run game at 4-3.
• Hopkins then started off the bottom of the seventh with a single up the middle before Calderon followed with a single down the right field line to put both the tying and the winning runs on base with nobody out.
• Then after an error by the Gators' shortstop on a ground ball by senior Caitlin Ellwanger allowed Hopkins to score to tie the game, Abogado stepped up to the dish and sent the seniors home with a win as she smashed a long ball to left field.

 
Senior Day:

• Caitlin Ellwanger is a career .312 hitter who has started in 69 out of 73 games while accumulating 67 hits, 34 runs, 37 RBI's, 16 doubles, one triple and two home runs. Entering Senior Day, she had started all 31 games while hitting .374 with 37 hits, 22 runs, 23 RBI's, 12 doubles and one home run.
• Jessica Hopkins holds a career batting average of .360 and has started in 38 of 43 games while recording 41 hits, 23 runs scored, 32 RBI's, 14 doubles and three home runs. Hopkins entered Saturday's games hitting .420 as a senior to go along with 34 hits, 17 runs, 24 RBI's 10 doubles, her first career-triple and two home runs, and at one point had a 13-game hitting streak.
• Sam Kline has hit .317 in her career and has started in 78 of 80 games. She has collected 73 hits, 36 runs, 19 RBI's and eight doubles in her career as well. Entering Senior Day, she had started in all 31 games while hitting .292 with 28 hits, 15 runs scored, nine RBI's and six doubles, and at one point she had a 12-game hitting streak.
• Allie Kovatch has started in 31 of 49 career games, including 21 starts in 23 games this season. Kovatch has totaled 12 hits, 21 runs, four RBI's, three doubles and seven stolen bases in her career.
• Claire Powell is a career .373 hitter who has started in 98 of 99 games and has totaled 118 hits, 76 runs, 36 RBI's, 29 stolen bases, 12 doubles, 12 triples and three home runs. Heading into Saturday's games, she has started in all 31 games and is hitting .445 with 49 hits, 37 runs scored, 13 RBI's, 16 steals, five doubles, five triples and a home run, and at one point had a 13-game hitting streak. She was named second-team all-conference as a rookie in 2019 and hit a solo home run in her first collegiate at-bat against No. 14 Pomona-Pitzer on March 18, 2019.

 
Records:

• It was the last North Coast Athletic Conference series at home this season for Denison (15-18 overall), which remained at .500 in the NCAC at 6-6 while Allegheny (9-16-1) also stayed at .500 in the conference at 5-5. There are currently four teams tied for third place in the NCAC standings with a winning percentage of .500 in conference play.

 
Next Up: Denison will travel to Wittenberg University for an NCAC doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, and will then host their final home series of the season in nonconference action against Muskingum University starting at 3:30 p.m. as well on Thursday, April 28.