Granville, Ohio — The Denison softball team earned a split in Friday evening's North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader against Hiram, falling 6-1 in game one before bouncing back with a 2-0 shutout win in game two. The Big Red move to 15-10 overall and 5-1 in NCAC play.

Game 1: (Hiram 6, Denison 1)

Denison fell behind early in the opener as Hiram capitalized on defensive miscues in the third inning, scoring three unearned runs. The Terriers extended their lead with a three-run fifth, highlighted by an RBI single, making it 6-0.

The Big Red got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Madilyn Moffitt singled to bring home Giavanna Gangi, but they were unable to recover from the early deficit. 

Game 2: (Denison 2, Hiram 0)

Denison responded in game two behind a dominant complete-game shutout from Sydney Silverstein. The Big Red broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Jacqui Abogado launched a solo home run to left field. Later in the frame, Brianna Gonzalez delivered an RBI single to right, scoring Emily Orsini to make it 2-0.

Silverstein was in control from the start, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out two over seven shutout innings. She faced 25 batters and threw just 67 pitches, recording seven flyouts and 11 groundouts to keep the Hiram offense off balance all game.

Abogado's home run sparked the Big Red offensively, while Gonzalez and Orsini helped tack on an insurance run to secure the win. Denison's defense was rock-solid behind Silverstein, sealing the shutout and the doubleheader split.

Up Next:
Denison will return to action on Saturday, April 12, when they travel to face Kenyon in another NCAC doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.