Waterman Hurls Complete Game in Win at Ohio Northern

ADA, Ohio – Darin Waterman held Ohio Northern to one run in nine innings of work to notch his first career complete game in only his second collegiate start, as Defiance picked up a 3-1 victory over the Polar Bears on Wednesday afternoon.

The freshman righty was in total control throughout the game, striking out six ONU hitters and walking only one, while scattering eight hits. Waterman only allowed one runner to reach second base in the first five innings, before losing his shutout bid with three singles in the bottom of the sixth.

The ONU (5-3) rally cut the Defiance lead to 3-1, but the Celina High product pitched around a seventh-inning error and retired the Polar Bears in order in the eighth. Waterman started the bottom of the ninth by hitting the leadoff batter, before settling back down and sealing the win by getting the next three batters out without further damage.

Waterman got all the offensive support he needed in the third inning, as DC capitalized on Ohio Northern's struggles in the field to score a pair of runs. Two ONU errors allowed Bryn Lehman and Aaron Helland to race home and give DC the 2-0 advantage.

The Jackets pushed the lead to 3-0 in the fifth, when Levi Pauli roped his second double of the contest and advanced to third on a Lehman ground out. Helland then dropped down a bunt and Pauli beat the throw home to tack on the insurance tally.

Pauli ended the afternoon 2-3 with a pair of doubles and one run scored, while Nick Welling and Brad Kremer provided the other two hits for Defiance.

DC (1-6) will hope to carry the momentum over into a busy upcoming homestand at Craig A. Rutter Field, as the Jackets are set to play the first of six straight home games when they host Grace (7-7) at 4:00 pm on Thursday.