Defiance Bats Falter in Pair of Losses to Earlham

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College suffered a pair of losses against Earlham College on Saturday at Craig A. Rutter Field. The Yellow Jacket offense could not solve the league's top-rated pitching staff, producing just four runs and 11 hits on the afternoon.

The DC sticks were held scoreless in the opener into the seventh inning, when an unearned run broke up Earlham's shutout bid and made it a 5-1 final in favor of the Quakers.

Matt Kaighin held EC to five hits and only three earned runs, while tossing his third complete game of the season, but was haunted by six walks that led to three of the five runs allowed.

Brent Kremer was the lone highlight on the offensive side for Defiance, accounting for three of the team's five hits and the only extra-base knock of the day.

The Jackets took the early lead in the second contest, as a bases loaded walk by Bobby Pardun scored Aaron Helland for the 1-0 advantage. After Earlham scored in the second and fourth frames, Defiance reclaimed the lead when Pardun and Brad Kremer scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bryn Lehman to give DC the 3-2 lead in the sixth inning.

Defiance could not hold on to the late lead however, as a two-out infield single by Earlham tied the game in the top of the seventh. The Quakers then took the lead for good in the ninth at 4-3, when a Yellow Jacket throwing error allowed the eventual winning run to race home.

Helland and Brad Kremer each collected two hits and scored one run. Helland added three stolen bases and has now swiped 17 bags in 18 attempts to move into a tie for the seventh-highest single-season total in DC history.

Ryan Valentine and Andy Habecker worked around nine walks to hold Earlham to a single earned run over their combined nine innings of work on the mound.

DC (5-19, 1-8 HCAC) and Earlham (10-12, 3-6 HCAC) will close the three-game set at Rutter Field on Sunday at noon.