ALBION, Mich. – Erin Giannotta added another chapter to her strong start to the 2012 season Sunday. The senior pitcher from Saint Clair Shores scattered two-out singles in the second and third innings to gain her first shutout of the season as Albion eked out a 1-0 victory over Defiance (Ohio) College in the first game of a non-league softball doubleheader at Dempsey Field.

Albion had to settle for a split, however, as Jordan Sawmiller slugged a pair of homeruns to power Defiance to a 4-2 victory in the nightcap.

Giannotta, who retired the Defiance batters in order in four of the seven innings, had to be sharp because Albion was unable to score until the sixth. Stefana Russo (Sterling Heights/Stevenson) produced a two-out single to right field to drive in Jessica Koehler (Ida/Marine City) who had led off the inning with a single.

Albion's offense failed to produce clutch hits in the first four innings. Kara Wandrie (Clarkston) led off the first with a single, but she was stranded on third base. She added a one-out single in the third but was stranded at second. Claire Cannon (Clinton Township/Chippewa Valley) drew a one-out walk in the second and Russo slapped a one-out single in the fourth, but they were forced out at second when the batters that followed them in the order hit ground balls.

Trailing 2-0 in game two, Albion turned in one of its best hitting innings of the season. The Britons produced two runs on three hits in the fourth to forge a 2-2 tie. Kaitlyn Downey (Macomb/Dakota) started the inning with a single, and after a sacrifice to move Downey to second, Nicole Romain and Sophie Nielsen rapped back-to-back singles. Downey scored on Romain's hit and Romain scored on a passed ball.

Both teams were retired in order in the fifth and Sawmiller gave Defiance its winning margin with a two-run shot over the center field fence in the sixth.

Wandrie, who had hits in both contests, finished the day 3-for-6 with a walk.

Albion, now 4-12, will hit the road for its next two non-league doubleheaders as it visits Rochester College Wednesday and Concordia University Friday. Albion's next home date is March 28 when Madonna University visits Dempsey Field for a 4 p.m. twinbill.