DC handed two defeats by red-hot Concordia

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - In a challenging day at Cardinal Field on Sunday, the Defiance Yellow Jackets suffered two losses to the Concordia Cardinals in a WHAC doubleheader. The Cardinals demonstrated powerful batting prowess in both games, leaving Defiance trailing with final scores of 11-1 and 10-0.

The Yellow Jackets fell to 10-24, 2-12 in the conference by slipping in four straight. The Cardinals' strong season continued as they became the first team in the WHAC to reach 30 wins this season and are 31-5, 14-2 in the WHAC. Concordia has also won 20 games in a row.

A tough Concordia lineup initiated the first game with an immediate advantage, showcasing a strong offensive display by slamming three home runs in the first two innings, contributing to an early 6-0 lead. Concordia's batter Josh Burke socked three homers throughout the day, with two in the first game alone. The Yellow Jackets lone score of the day was manufactured by Kolbe VanderLeest, who doubled in the sixth inning of Game 1.

During the second game, the two sides played to a scoreless tie until a two-run knock awarded Concordia with the lead. The Cardinals posted back-to-back four-run innings in the fourth and fifth to shorten the second contest by the run rule after seven. Both big innings were aided by two DC errors in each frame, which included Burke's third homer of the day in the fourth.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Defiance's offense was handcuffed to seven total hits and were shut out for just the third time this season.
• Relievers Evan Bowers and Aerion Gipson recorded scoreless innings in Game 2. Caiden Berry surrendered one run at end of the first game.
• Game 1 starter Colin Danek recovered well to eat up innings after six runs scored early. He held the Cardinals scoreless for three innings before running into trouble in the sixth.
• Game 2 starter Aiden Behrman cruised through the first two innings before two walks and a hit batter filled the bases for a two-run hit in the third. 
• Offensively, Connor Gephart was the lone player for DC with hits in each game. He also scored the team's lone run. The sophomore has reached base in 13 straight games.
• Kolbe VanderLeest's RBI double was his first run driven home this season and his first base knock.
• The Yellow Jackets were also able to get several younger players experience in the second game despite the shutout loss.

UP NEXT

The next contest for the Yellow Jackets is another twinbill against the Siena Heights Saints. Originally scheduled for March 16, Defiance begins a 10-game stretch at home beginning at 1 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.

-JACKETS-