Yellow Jacket Baseball Sweeps Transylvania (Ky.)

LEXINGTON, KY.  --  The Defiance College baseball team scored eight of its combined 11 runs on the day from the seventh inning on as the Yellow Jackets posted a pair of victories against Transylvania (Ky.) University, 6-5 and 5-1, to open the three-game weekend series.

In game one, Defiance (11-10, 6-7 HCAC) scored a run in the top of the first inning on a RBI fielder's choice by junior Ben Weber (Troy/Lehman Catholic) with a runner on third base to grab the early lead.  Transylvania (7-17, 4-10 HCAC) took the lead with a four-run third inning to move ahead on the scoreboard, 4-1.  DC got one of the runs back in the fifth thanks to a RBI ground out by junior Ryan Kohlhofer (Walbridge/Lake) to narrow the gap to 4-2.  The Yellow Jackets regained the lead in the eighth crossing home plate four times highlighted by a two-RBI single by Kohlhofer with bases loaded making the score 6-4.  Going into the bottom of the ninth, Transylvania led off the inning with back-to-back singles and then advanced the runners to second and third on an ensuing sacrifice bunt.  The Fightin' Engineers then plated one of the runs on an error and would still have runners at the corners.  DC then got Transylvania to record back-to-back outs on a strikeout and pop-up to clinch the 6-5 victory.

Kohlhofer led the DC bats with a two-of-four effort to go along with three RBI.  Weber ended the game one-of-four with a RBI and junior Gary Levengood (Beverly Hills, Fla./Lecanto) also finished one-of-four with a run scored.  Senior Ian Burkhart (Fremont, Ind./Fremont) tallied a hit in three attempts and scored a pair of runs.  Seniors Chris Donese (Kettering/Fairmont) and Joel Musser (Center Line, Mich./Center Line) rounded out the hitters with Donese going one-of-four and Musser one-of-five.  Both players also scored a run.

Sophomore Dave Blanch (Alliston, Ont./Banting Memorial) started the game at pitcher and got the win to improve to 2-2 overall for the season.  In seven complete inninngs, Blanch allowed four runs on nine hits.  Sophomore Nick Peters (Macomb, Mich./Eisenhower) came on to pitch the last two innings and was given the save, his first of the season, after giving up one run on two hits and struck out two batters.

In game two, DC again struck first, this time scoring a run in the top of the fourth inning with a RBI single by Burkhart that was set up by a double by Levengood to begin the inning.  Transylvania evened the game at 1-1 with a score in the sixth on a sacrifice fly.  The Jackets then scored four unanswered runs with a pair of scores in both the seventh and ninth innings.  DC's runs in the seventh came on a defensive error and a RBI single by Levengood and the two runs in the ninth were the result of a two-RBI single by Burkhart with runners at every base to make the score 5-1.  The Engineers threatened in the bottom of the ninth with runners at first and third base, but with two outs.  Following a defensive error that put the runners at the corners, Defiance sealed the victory with a flyout to center field to go on to the 5-1 final.

Defiance had 12 hits in game two with Levengood and Burkhart both tallying four hits.  Burkhart was a perfect four-of-four with three RBI, while Levengood went four-of-five with a run scored and RBI.  Musser, Weber, Kohlhofer and sophomore Tre DeVoe (Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) all finished with a base hit to round out the Yellow Jacket hitters.  Musser also scored two runs, Weber scored a run and RBI and Kohlhofer added a run scored.

Sophomore pitcher Matt Clark (Sandusky/Perkins) went the distance for DC and picked up his second victory of the season and is now 2-2 overall.  He allowed just the lone run on 12 hits and had two strikeouts.

Defiance will conclude the series tomorrow (Sunday, Apr. 12) with a single nine-inning game against Transylvania.  The first pitch is scheduled for noon in Lexington, Ky.