Scots Top DC in Walk-Off Win

MARYVILLE, Tenn. – Defiance shook off a sluggish season-opener on Friday to play a thriller at Maryville on Saturday. The Jackets knotted the score in the top of the ninth, only to see the Scots get a one-out single to plate the winning run in the bottom half for the 5-4 victory.

DC got a strong effort from Aaron Stewart on the mound and built a 2-0 advantage with single tallies in the second and fourth innings. Maryville finally got to Stewart with a pair in the bottom of the fourth and tacked on two more in the sixth to take the 4-2 lead.

Patrick McKee finished out the sixth inning on the hill for Defiance and held the Scots in check with scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. The Jackets capitalized by pushing runs across in the eighth and ninth to tie the game at 4-4.

That would set the stage for the last at bat heroics from Maryville, as a leadoff single was followed by a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. The Scots then got a one-out single up the middle to push the winning run across.

Defiance scored four runs on 11 hits in the ballgame but stranded nine runners on base. Michael Dushane and Kirk Jesse each collected three hits, while Bradley Rittner and Casey Kahsen had two apiece.

Stewart turned in a strong first outing, going 5.1 innings and allowing only two earned runs on seven hits. McKee yielded one earned run in his three innings of relief but took the loss.

Defiance (0-2) will now head south to compete in the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida next week. The Jackets will kick things off with a pair of games against Becker and Ohio Wesleyan on Monday.

DC will have a chance to make history in the Florida sun, as its first win of the season will be the 600th victory in the history of the baseball program at Defiance.