DC Closes Gene Cusic Classic with Rout of Principia

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Defiance College baseball team scored 16 runs in its final contest in Fort Myers, Florida to earn a 16-4 victory over Principia. The win gave the Jackets a split of Friday's doubleheader and moved DC to 4-3 during its stay at the Gene Cusic Classic.

DC struck for two-or-more runs in five different innings during the second contest, breaking out for four in the second and never looking back. Andy Habecker and Brad Kremer opened the pivotal frame with singles, before Brent Kremer was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Braden Brugler then stroked a two-run double and Jonathan Murphy delivered a run-scoring single. Chris Donese then capped the rally with a RBI ground out to put DC in front by a 4-1 margin.

The Jackets pushed the spread to 11-3 after six innings and tacked on five more in the final inning to cap the 16-4 victory.

Habecker ended the game with two hits, while Brad Kremer laced a triple among his two hits and Murphy had two hits, a pair of RBI and a successful suicide squeeze bunt. Brent Kremer also factored prominently into the win with two RBI.  

Jake Taylor (2-1) notched his second win on the mound in four days by tossing four scoreless innings of relief for Defiance. The junior allowed only two hits and picked up four strikeouts in the crisp showing out of the bullpen.

The Jackets did not do nearly as well with the bats in Friday's opener, as Donese and Darin Waterman accounted for the only three hits of the contest in a 5-3 loss to Principia (6-4). Waterman had two of those three hits, including a home run and two RBI.

Despite the quiet offense, DC still held a 2-0 edge entering the fourth inning but Principia broke through for three runs in the fourth and added two in the fifth to take control.

Stephen Leskow (1-2) took the loss for Defiance, after yielding six walks and hitting two batters in his four innings of work. Habecker pitched well in relief, tossing a pair of scoreless innings and retiring three batters on strikes.

Defiance (5-6) will head north with the 2012 home opener slated for Wednesday at 4:00 pm, when the Jackets play host to Lourdes (4-12) at Craig A. Rutter Field.