Defiance Loses Doubleheader Against Rose-Hulman

TERRE HAUTE, IND.  --  After winning the series opener yesterday in extra innings, Defiance lost both games of a doubleheader against Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology, 5-3 and 6-5, giving the Fightin' Engineers the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference season series.

Game one saw Defiance (11-21, 8-11 HCAC) score first with a run in the top of the fourth inning thanks to a solo home run by freshman Everett Kissel (Defiance/Tinora).  But Rose-Hulman (16-16, 14-5 HCAC) answered in its half of the inning with five runs to take a 5-1 advantage.

The Yellow Jackets chipped away at the deficit with runs in the seventh and eighth innings with DC's run in the seventh coming off of the bat of sophomore Tyler Weaver (Defiance) on a single and then a RBI-single by Kissel in the eighth to make the score 5-3.

The two runs scored by DC were the final runs of the game the rest of the way as Rose-Hulman hung on for the two-run victory.

Defiance made the most of its six hits in the game with three runs scored.  Kissel led the way offensively, going three-of-four with two runs scored and two RBI.  Three other players each recorded a hit, including Weaver who ended the game one-of-four to go along with his RBI.

On the mound, senior Nick Peters (Macomb, Mich./Eisenhower) started the game for DC and went seven full innings, but would suffer the loss and is now 5-3 overall for the season.  In seven innings, he allowed five runs, three earned, on 10 hits and had five strikeouts.  Sophomore Paris Creek (Bryan) pitched an inning in relief and allowed no runs and just one hit while striking out one batter.

The nightcap saw Defiance put up 12 hits, but also committed four errors defensively.  The Jackets again took the first lead of the game, this time with a run in the top of the first inning off of a triple by junior Glen Collier (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) with a runner on first base.

Rose-Hulman came back to tie the game at 1-1 with a score in the bottom of the second.  DC plated another run in the fourth to regain the lead thanks to a fielder's choice by senior Zack Reed (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek) with bases loaded that was set up by a series of defensive errors.

The Engineers continued the back-and-forth pace and re-took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to make the score 5-2.  

In the eighth inning, Defiance rallied by crossing home plate three times with all runs coming on a single by Troy Konwinski (Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) with bases loaded to tie the game at 5-5.  The difference in the game came in the bottom of the eighth with Rose-Hulman scoring what turned out to be the game-winning run on a triple and then got the Jackets to record three straight outs in the top of the ninth to preserve the 6-5 final.

Reed ended game two with a team-high three hits in four attempts and also scored a run and drove in a run.  Freshman Jude Neary (Toledo/Cardinal Stritch), who came in as a defensive change in the fourth inning, was the only other Jacket to record multiple hits and went two-of-two and also scored a run.  Konwinski's only hit was the triple (one-of-four overall) to go along with his game-high three RBI.

Senior Nick Watkins (Lima/Central Catholic) got the start at pitcher for DC and pitched 5.1 innings and gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits and ended up with a no decision.  Creek made his second appearance of the day and pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing no hits or runs.  Konwinski ended the game on the mound and pitched the final two innings.  He allowed a lone run on two hits to go along with a strikeout, but would be credited with the loss and is now 2-2 on the year.

Defiance is scheduled to host Manchester (Ind.) University on Tuesday, Apr. 25 in a HCAC single game at Craig A. Rutter Field.  The game is scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m.