Centre College Defeats Yellow Jackets in Final At Bat

DANVILLE, Ky.  --  Defiance rapped out four runs in the fifth inning to erase a 4-0 deficit, but surrendered the game-winning score in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 6-5 loss at Centre College in its 2007 season opener.

The Colonels went up early, plating a pair of runs in the first and extending the lead to 4-0 with scores in the second and third frames.

The Yellow Jacket bats came alive in the fifth as the first six runners reached base safely to ignite the four-run rally. Mike Hill got things started with a single and scored in front of Phil Kosier, who circled the bases after a double and a two-base error.

LeTroy Harris then worked a walk, stole second and scored on a Lenny Koesters two-bagger and Jeremy Hawkins capped the outburst with an RBI single to plate Koesters.

After Centre reclaimed the 5-4 edge with a run in the seventh, DC rallied again in the top of the ninth. This time R.J. Chidester got it started with a leadoff single and moved to second on a sac bunt. Tim Pitro then provided some two-out heroics with a two-out, RBI single to knot the game at 5-5.

DC managed to put the next two on to load the bases with two outs, but Centres Jake Jones wiggled out of the jam with a strikeout.

The Colonels wasted little time providing an answer. Defiance recorded the first out in the bottom of the ninth before Centre strung together four-straight singles to push across the game-winning score.

Koesters and Brad Timofeev paced the DC offense with a pair of hits each and Nick Picciano worked 6.1 innings on the hill, while allowing just three earned runs to keep Defiance in the ballgame.

The Jackets (0-1) will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Maryville. DC will then head for Port Charlotte, Fla. for action throughout next week.