Jackets Fall in Extra Innings to Franklin in Series Opener

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Franklin plated five runs in the final two frames to edge Defiance in 10 innings by an 8-6 margin at Craig A. Rutter Field on Friday afternoon. The Jackets held a 5-3 lead entering the ninth inning but could not record the final three outs with the lead intact.

Defiance tied the game in the fifth with an unearned run and then used three-straight hits from Alex Timofeev, Brad Kremer and Patrick Masopust in the sixth to rally for the 3-1 lead. Timofeev ignited the one-out threat with a single, before Kremer pushed a triple to the fence in left center and scored on a Masopust blooper to left.

After Franklin battled back with two runs in the seventh inning, Timofeev started Defiance once again with another one-out knock, this time roping a double into the right field gap. Kremer then banged a 1-0 offering off the center field wall for his second triple in as many trips and later scored on an error to give the Jackets the 5-3 advantage heading into the final frame.

The DC pen could not make it hold however, as Jake Taylor walked the first two batters he faced and a pair of passed balls cut the lead to 5-4 with nobody out. The Grizzlies would draw even on a sacrifice fly and then take the lead, when Alex Boone drove in Ian Sanders with a double two batters later.

Faced with a one-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth, Defiance went to work against FC's pen, as Aaron Helland worked a one-out walk against reliever Nate Bryant. Brent Kremer then bounced into a force out that retired Helland, before Brent James put runners on the corners with a two-out single into center field. That set the stage for Timofeev, who delivered his third hit of the game to score Kremer and force a 6-6 tie.

The Jacket relievers continued to struggle in extra innings however, as Alex Schomaeker hit the leadoff man and walked the second batter to put the first two Grizzlies on base once again. The free passes proved costly, as both runners would eventually score in the inning and Franklin held on in the bottom of the 10th for the 8-6 win.

Defiance squandered another strong outing by Stephen Leskow on the mound, as the sophomore hurled 6.1 innings and held Franklin to a pair of earned runs, while striking out five. Andy Habecker then breezed through the next 1.2 innings of work to get the Jackets into the ninth with the two-run cushion.

The middle of the order did the majority of the damage for the Jackets, as James, Timofeev and Brad Kremer accounted for seven of the team's 12 hits. Timofeev went 3-5 with a pair of runs and two RBI, while Kremer also scored twice and had a pair of run-scoring triples.

Defiance (5-28, 1-17 HCAC) and Franklin (20-12, 10-8 HCAC) will hook up again on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon.