Defiance Bats Explode in Ninth to Salvage Split

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Brad Kremer stroked a two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning to cap a seven-run outburst for Defiance, helping the Yellow Jackets take a thrilling, 11-9, win on Saturday at Rose-Hulman. DC won the nightcap, after falling by a 5-0 count in the opener. 

The ninth-inning rally erased a poor effort in the field for Defiance, which committed four errors leading to Rose-Hulman's first four runs. The shaky defense eventually helped the Engineers put six unearned runs on the board, en route to taking a 9-4 lead after seven innings of play.

DC struck first, as Brent Kremer, Brent James and Justin Mathias connected on three-straight singles with one out to take a 1-0 edge, before Brad Kremer singled in another to push the spread to 2-0.The Jackets would tack on single tallies in the fifth and seventh but still faced the 9-4 deficit entering their last inning of the afternoon.

The final rally would be fueled by the Engineer pitchers, who walked or hit a total of six DC batters in the frame.Defiance capitalized on the inefficient pitching by plating its first four hitters of the inning to pull to within a single run with two outs. Back-to-back hit batters drew the Jackets even at 9-9, before Kremer's double gave DC the 11-9 lead.

Jake Taylor made the lead hold, shutting down R-H in order on eight pitches in the ninth to earn his first collegiate save. Taylor's outing followed a pair of shutout innings in relief from Andy Habecker, who was credited with the victory.

Taylor and Habecker backed up a gutsy showing from rookie Darin Waterman on the bump for the Purple and Gold. Waterman pitched around 10 hits to hold Rose-Hulman to only two earned runs in his five innings of work.

The Jackets used the ninth inning to cap their best offensive output of the season, piling up season-highs of 11 runs and 15 hits in the thrilling victory. Brent Kremer, James and Mathias combined for seven runs, while Brad Kremer drove in four runs.

The offensive onslaught followed a quiet first game at the plate for Defiance in Saturday's opener, as Rose-Hulman's Jim Schuler pitched a three-hit shutout to beat DC by a 5-0 count.

James, Mathias and Brad Kremer had the three singles for DC, while Stephen Leskow went the distance on the mound for the Jackets and held the Engineers to just a pair of earned runs.

Defiance (4-12, 1-2 HCAC) will be back on the diamond on Tuesday, when it hosts Taylor (11-11) at Craig A. Rutter Field for a 4:00 pm contest.