Jackets Lose Home Finale Against Bluffton

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College baseball team lost to Bluffton University, 7-4, in the final meeting of the season between the two schools in the home finale.

Defiance (17-20, 10-14 HCAC) took the game's first lead with a run in the bottom of the second inning on a base hit by junior Zack Reed (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek).  But Bluffton (13-24, 8-16 HCAC) came right back in their next at-bat and plated four runs in the third to move ahead, 4-1.  The Yellow Jackets got one of the runs back in the bottom of the frame when senior Ben Weber (Troy/Lehman Catholic) found space that allowed freshman Grant Vickery (Bellevue) to score.

DC then evened the game at 4-4 with a two-run bottom of the fourth on RBI base hits by seniors Ryan Kohlhofer (Walbridge/Lake) and Gary Levengood (Beverly Hills, Fla./Lecanto).  The Beavers rallied again in their next at-bat by scoring a run in the top of the fifth to regain the lead, 5-4.

The Bluffton run in the fifth turned out to be the difference maker as the Beavers added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth and held Defiance scoreless the rest of the way en route to posting the 7-4 victory.

DC recorded 10 hits in the game that included a pair of multi-hit efforts.  Levengood and Vickery both finished two-of-four for the game.  Levengood also scored a run and RBI, while Vickery added a run scored.  Six other Jacket players each recorded a base hit in the loss.

On the mound, freshman Josh Wagner (Cincinnati/Taylor) was one of four pitchers used in the game.  He got the start and pitched two-and-a-third innings allowing four runs on five hits and had one strikeout, but would end up with a no decision.  Fellow freshman Bryce Alabata (Bryan) ended as the pitcher of record after going three and two-thirds innings giving up a run on two hits and struck out four batters.

Defiance will next travel to Anderson, Ind. for a three-game series against Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponent Anderson (Ind.) University on Thursday-Friday, May 5-6.  The two teams will play a single nine-inning game on Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.