The Dordt Defenders split a pair of games on Thursday at the Space Coast Spring Games in Viera, Florida, defeating Judson (Illinois) 13-5 before falling to Michigan-Dearborn 5-4 later in the day.

Dordt 13, Judson 5
Box Score (PDF)

Dordt's offense erupted for 17 hits and four home runs as the Defenders pulled away from Judson for a 13-5 victory.

Dordt struck first in the opening inning when Chloe Kreuz reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch. Rylee Yager also scored in the frame on an Annabelle Hensley sacrifice fly to give the Defenders a 2-0 lead.

Kreuz extended the lead in the third inning with a solo home run to center field for a 3-0 advantage. Judson answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, but Dordt responded in the fourth when Peyton Whipple scored on a Kreuz RBI single and Yager later came home on a double by Yager to make the score 5-1.

The Defenders added three more runs in the sixth inning as Tera Lynn Price led off with a home run and Hensley followed later in the inning with a two-run homer to extend the lead to 8-1.

Dordt broke the game open with a five-run seventh inning. Price singled home a run before Kreuz blasted a three-run homer to left field. Hensley capped the scoring with an RBI double to give Dordt a 13-1 advantage before Judson pushed across four late runs in the bottom of the inning.

Bailey Johnson earned the win in the circle, pitching 6.2 innings with four strikeouts before Abigail Tweedy recorded the final out.

Team Comparison
Runs: Dordt 13 / Judson 5
Hits: Dordt 17 / Judson 9
Errors: Dordt 3 / Judson 2
Left on Base: Dordt 7 / Judson 10
Strikeouts (Pitching): Dordt 4 / Judson 2
Walks Issued: Dordt 5 / Judson 1

Dordt Individual Leaders
Hits: Rylee Yager 4-5; Chloe Kreuz 3-5 (2 HR); Annabelle Hensley 3-3; Peyton Whipple 2-3; Tera Lynn Price 2-4
RBI: Chloe Kreuz 5; Annabelle Hensley 4; Tera Lynn Price 2
Runs Scored: Chloe Kreuz 4; Rylee Yager 3
Pitching: Bailey Johnson – 6.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 4 K

Michigan-Dearborn 5, Dordt 4
Box Score (PDF)

Michigan-Dearborn scored three runs in the opening inning and added two late runs to hold off Dordt for a 5-4 win in the second game of the day.

The Wolverines took advantage of early baserunners in the first inning and plated three runs on a three-RBI double by Ava Craft for a 3-0 lead.

Dordt chipped away at the deficit beginning in the third inning when Kacie Karsak doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chloe Kreuz to make the score 3-1.

The Defenders continued to rally in the fourth when Lauren Steenstra singled and eventually scored on a Sumaya Edwards double down the left field line, trimming the margin to 3-2.

Dordt tied the game in the sixth inning. After Edwards singled, Molly Zylstra entered as a pinch runner and scored on a Taylor Schneider single to right center to even the score at 3-3.

Michigan-Dearborn regained the lead in the seventh inning as Braylin Grueter singled and advanced on a throwing error that allowed a run to score. Grueter later crossed the plate on a wild pitch to push the lead to 5-3.

Dordt attempted a late comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Rylee Yager singled and scored on an Annabelle Hensley double to right center, but the rally ended with the tying run left on base.

Yager took the loss in the circle after pitching all seven innings with five strikeouts.

Team Comparison
Runs: Dordt 4 / Michigan-Dearborn 5
Hits: Dordt 10 / Michigan-Dearborn 8
Errors: Dordt 1 / Michigan-Dearborn 0
Left on Base: Dordt 7 / Michigan-Dearborn 6
Strikeouts (Pitching): Dordt 5 / Michigan-Dearborn 2
Walks Issued: Dordt 4 / Michigan-Dearborn 1

Dordt Individual Leaders
Hits: Annabelle Hensley 2-4; Sumaya Edwards 2-4
RBI: Annabelle Hensley 1; Sumaya Edwards 1; Taylor Schneider 1; Chloe Kreuz 1
Runs Scored: Rylee Yager 1; Lauren Steenstra 1; Kacie Karsak 1; Molly Zylstra 1
Pitching: Rylee Yager – 7.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K