Jackets Finish Series at Franklin with 6-4 Victory

FRANKLIN, Ind. - Defiance College shook off a pair of defeats at Franklin on Friday to rebound with a 6-4 win on Saturday morning. The Jackets held leads of 1-0 and 4-2, before scoring a pair of tallies in the seventh to pull out the two-run win over the Grizzlies.

Casey Kahsen and Tim Pitro got things started in the top of the first, as Kahsen doubled home Pitro to put Defiance on top by the 1-0 margin. Franklin would plate two in the second, but DC answered in the top of the third when Pitro drove home Kirk Jesse and scored his second run of the day on an RBI single from Zach Stallkamp.

The lead would grow to 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning, when Jesse singled for the third time and stole second to set the table once again for Pitro. The seniors continued to deliver, as Pitro singled in Jesse to push the Yellow Jacket lead to two runs.

Franklin plated two in the sixth to knot the score but Defiance fired back once again. This time Jesse ignited the eventual game-winning rally in the top of the seventh with his fourth hit of the game. Brent Kremer would then draw a walk, before Jesse and Kremer worked a double steal. With the stage set, Pitro and Kahsen stepped up one more time by each slapping RBI singles to give Defiance the 6-4 edge.

Defiance then turned the ball over to Stephen Leskow in relief of Matt Kaighin (3-0) who had limited the Grizzlies to four runs on seven hits over his six innings of work. Leskow was spectacular out of the bullpen and held FC hitless over the final three innings to preserve the Defiance victory and earn his first collegiate save.

The three seniors of Jesse, Pitro and Kahsen were in the middle of the action all day long, as Jesse went 4-5 with three runs and four steals, Pitro ended 3-5 with two runs and three RBI and Kahsen also had a 3-5 showing at the plate to go along with two runs batted in.

Defiance (9-10, 3-4 HCAC) will finally play on its home turf on Tuesday, after starting the 2010 season with 19-straight games away from Craig A. Rutter Field. The Jackets will open the home slate against Manchester (10-10, 2-1 HCAC) at 4:00 pm.