2017 Baseball Preview

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- The Defiance College baseball team looks to rely on experience on the mound to continue the momentum they regained in the 2016 season, finishing with the program's best record since 2013.

Last season, the Yellow Jackets finished 18-22 overall with an 11-16 record in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play. Defiance returns their three primary starters from 2016, as all three pitchers who started over 10 games returns in 2017. One of these includes a second-team All-HCAC honoree from in Nick Peters (Macomb, Mich./Eisenhower). Peters started 10 games and finished with a 4-3 record and a 4.54 earned run average. He ended the season with 35 strikeouts and 21 walks allowed.

In the field, DC graduates their two leading hitters from last year, but also return three All-HCAC honorees. Senior outfielders Quinten Harrington (Sandusky/Perkins) and Zack Reed (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek) were second-team and honorable mention All-HCAC, respectively. Harrington batted .342 with 29 RBI and 26 runs scored, while Reed hit .336 with 25 RBI and 28 runs scored. Defiance also returns honorable mention All-HCAC infielder Michael Gilliland (Napoleon), who hit .324 with 28 RBI and 30 runs scored in his "rookie" season last spring.

Defiance will rely on veteran leadership as they return nine seniors, including five who received significant playing time a year ago as they fight for starting positions.

INFIELDERS

Gilliland looks to lead a young group of infielders in 2017. The All-HCAC honoree started all 38 games he played, the majority being at second base. He was second on the team with 28 RBI and third on the team with 30 runs scored. 

The Yellow Jackets split starters at first base with freshmen Troy Konwinski (Allen Park, Mich.) and Tyler Weaver (Defiance). They both return to the team in 2017 as sophomores, looking to anchor down the infield. Konwinski hit .328 in 15 starts with 21 hits, six for extra bases, and 31 RBI. Weaver, meanwhile started 29 games and hit .227 with 21 RBI.

Juniors Glen Collier (Zionsville, Ind.) and Alek Menyhart (Hartland, Mich.) also return to look for an increased role in the infield.

CATCHERS

The battle for starting catcher is up for grabs to open 2017 following the graduatation of four-year starter Gary Levengood. Senior Mac Edwards (Kingston, Ont./Jefferson CC) is the most experienced of the group fighting for the position. Edwards started two games and played five more last year, getting two hits and a RBI, while scoring three runs. 

Sophomores Kody Fuller (Wabash, Ind.) and Mason Rapp (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) also return to fight for playing time behind the plate.

OUTFIELDERS

Defiance returns two All-HCAC performers and all three starters in the outfield from a season ago, as Harrington, Reed, and sophomore Tanner Stippich (Lima/Allen East) return for their senior seasons. Harrington started 32 games in right field before missing the final eight games due to injury. He batted .342, tops on the team out of the returnees, with a team-leading 29 RBI. Reed, meanwhile, finished right behind Harrington with a .336 batting average after starting all 40 games in center field. Reed finished the season with 29 RBI and 26 runs scored. 

Stippich also returns to the starting lineup after 34 starts last year. Stippich hit .278 with 12 RBI and 23 runs scored. He had eight extra base hits (five doubles and three triples) on the year. 

Senior Tre' DeVoe (Allen Park, Mich.) and sophomore Tanner Vickery (Bellevue) also return from their bench roles in 2016 and will look to battle for more playing time in 2017.

PITCHERS

The Yellow Jackets return plenty of experience on the pitching staff, including bringing back three seniors who combined for 32 starts in 2016. Peters leads the charge of the pitchers after finishing the 2016 campaign with a 4-3 mark and led the team with four complete games. He also led the team with 69.1 innings pitched and had a 4.54 ERA. Peters struck out 35 hitters  and walked just 21. Senior Nick Watkins (Lima/Central Catholic) started 11 games and finished with a 5-4 record. Watkins had a 3.98 ERA, throwing 61.0 innings and giving up 27 earned runs. Watkins also finished the year with 30 strikeouts and 30 walks issued. Senior Dave Blanch (Alliston, Ont./Banting Memorial) rounds out the returnees in the starting rotation. Blanch finished the season at 4-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 11 starts for DC. Blanch threw 64.2 innings, giving up 30 earned runs (47 total runs) and striking out 33 hitters.

Defiance also returns a few of their key relievers, despite losing two key members of the bullpen. Highlighting those coming back would be junior Cody Nelson (Clayton, Mich./Hudson). With 13 appearances, Nelson finished with a 2-1 record and a 5.92 ERA. Nelson tossed 24.1 innings and struck out 20 hitters, giving up 16 earned runs. Sophomore Tyler Davie (Cincinnati/Anderson) returns having thrown in nine games, as junior Izzy Martinez (Defiance/Tinora) threw in eight contests last season.

Five other pitchers who threw in limited innings last season return in 2017, including seniors Drew Miller (Walled Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central) and Dominic Holutiak (Maple Heights/Horizon Science), junior Parker Houk (Montpelier) and sophomores Paris Creek (Bryan) and Konwinski, who will pitch and play first base again this season.

SCHEDULE

The Defiance College baseball team opens up their season with a three-game series in Danville, Ky. against Centre (Ky.) College on Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26. The series is scheduled for two games on Saturday, starting at 1:45 p.m. and a single game on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.

Following six games in Florida, DC will play six more games on the road before they finally play their home opener on Tuesday, Mar. 28 in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Manchester (Ind.) University.