Baseball leaves Earlham with HCAC loss

RICHMOND, Ind. – In its first night game of the year, the Defiance College baseball team left Randal R. Sadler Stadium with a 9-1 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference loss to the host Earlham College Quakers on Wednesday.

Defiance got a run in the opening inning before Earlham tied things up in the third, and then scored in every inning after. The Quakers took their first advantage, 3-1, in the fourth and added single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth with a three-run seventh in between.

The Yellow Jackets had four hits to EC's nine and made five of the contest's six errors. The hosts hit three home runs, struck out just three times and stole seven bases.

For DC at the plate, Lucas Thomeier led the way with a 2-for-3 performance that included a double, hit-by-pitch and run scored while Michael Reese ended 1 for 2 with two walks. Colin Minner had the squad's other hit and walked with Nate Kaffenbarger driving in the lone run while also drawing a walk.

Cohen Nies, Defiance's starting pitcher, was tagged with the loss after going four innings with one strikeout. Out of the bullpen, Jack Powell did not allow a hit over a scoreless inning, striking out one with no bases on balls.

The Jackets are 4-16 overall and in HCAC play while Earlham moves to 13-7. Next on DC's schedule is a home doubleheader with Hanover College this Saturday at 1 p.m.