Granville, Ohio - The Big Red mashed 17 hits in two games to overcome the Lions of Mount St. Joseph for a home opener sweep, 5-3 and 8-3. Eight Big Red laid down hits, with four earning multi-hit games. Madilyn Moffitt shined, serving up a four RBI game two while pitching a complete game for the Big Red. Denison improves to 5-7, while Mount St. Joseph falls to 8-6.

Game One: Denison 5, Mount St. Joseph 3

Denison got on the board early after a solid half inning from Brooke Surbaugh on the mound. After an Indy Workman single and Carley Melton reached first on an error, Emerson Seevers was able to contribute a sacrifice fly out to center field to bring Workman in for the early 1-0 lead.

Surbaugh would go three-up, three-down in the top of the second, and in the third inning with runners on second and third, she was able to strike a Lion out looking and had another fly out to left field to get out of the jam and keep Mount St. Joseph scoreless. 

The Big Red got hot in the fourth, scoring four runs to go up 5-1. Leilah Ferrari belted a two-run double into left field to bring home Moffit and Liana "Seri" Su. Carley Melton followed that up with a two-run single of her own, increasing the lead to 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Big Red gathered four runs off of three hits in their explosive fourth.

The Lions started to chip at the lead, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth off of four hits, bringing in Leah Gershman. Mount St. Joseph continued to chip at the lead, scoring their third run off of a Big Red error, but Denison would escape going up 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth.

Denison would leave two stranded in their final at-bats, and Surbaugh came back to pitch the final frame, and would deliver, getting three-up, three-down for the third time to secure a home win for Denison, 5-3.

Ferrari had the lone multi-hit game, and also cashed in two RBI's. Melton also had two RBI's, and Workman delivered two walks and a hit. Surbaugh pitched 5.2 innings, giving up seven hits and striking out two and earning the save.

Game Two: Denison 8, Mount St. Joseph 3

Even though the Lions started off the game up 1-0, the bats stayed hot for the Big Red, as Surbaugh doubled to bring home Seevers to knot the game up 1-1, and Moffitt singled to bring in Surbaugh. Bridget Haller brought in Liana "Seri" Su on a single, and Denison went up 3-1 after a four-hit first inning.

Mount St. Joseph brought it back within one in the top of the second, and Moffitt was dealing, only giving up three hits and striking out one through three innings. 

Denison blew the doors open in the third, scoring five runs to go up 8-2. Moffitt continued her incredible game two with another hit, this time a two-run doubled to give Denison a 5-2 lead. Alex Longstreth then got hit on a pitch with bases loaded, bringing in another. Ferrari put one into play, bringing home su, and Melton finished off the hot inning with a sacrifice fly to left field bringing in Longstreth for a momentum-shifting inning. 

Moffitt continued to shine in the circle, striking out another in the fourth to continue a solid day. The Big Red were able to generate a couple of hits, one by first-year Stella Mix, but left both on base as they headed into the fifth.

Although the Lions scored their third run of the game in the sixth, it was not enough, as Moffitt and the crew stifled the Lions chances in the seventh, taking home a two-game sweep in the home opener, 8-3.

Seven different Big Red had a hit, with three earning multi-hit games. Moffitt had an incredible performance, going 3-for-4 at the dish and bringing home three RBI's, and pitching a complete game only allowing six hits, striking out two, and having 114 pitches. Ferrari, Melton, and Surbaugh all registered RBI's in the win as well.

Up Next for the Big Red

Denison returns tomorrow to face Muskingum University in a double header in Granville at 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm.