Clark and Waterman propel DC to split with Anderson

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Darin Waterman hit three homeruns and Matt Clark pitched a complete game on Saturday as the Defiance College Baseball team split a doubleheader with Anderson Saturday afternoon at Rutter Field.

The Yellow Jackets (8-19, 2-12 HCAC) win in game two, propelled by the complete game from Clark, snapped a 12-game losing skid for the Yellow Jackets.

In the second inning of the win for DC, the Yellow Jackets got on the scoreboard and took a 1-0 lead with a run by Tyler Sloan on a fielder's choice play. Sloan reached earlier in the inning with a single up the middle and then reached third when Patrick Masopust single to left field. Sloan went the finally 90 feet when Zack Reed put the ball in play towards second base.

Defiance had its biggest inning of game two in the fifth inning when it scored three runs on two hits and two Anderson (16-9, 9-5 HCAC) errors. Chris Donese scored the first run in that inning on a wild pitch. Then Ryan Kohlhofer doubled down the left field line to bring in Aaron Helland from third base. Kohlhofer was the final score of the inning, advancing home on a Ben Weber groundout to the right side.

The Yellow Jackets added an insurance run in the seventh inning when Darin Waterman hit his third homerun of the day to put DC up 5-2.

Matt Clark had an outstanding day on the mound with pitching his first career complete game en route to his first win for the purple and gold. Clark carried a perfect game into the fifth inning, and finished with just five hits allowed and two runs. Clark had six strikeouts, a career high, and just two walks given up.

Anderson scored both of their runs in the seventh inning from a two-run homerun by Shelmadine.

For game two, Masopust was the leader at the plate with three hits of four plate appearances. Darin Waterman, also, reached base three times in the game with a 2-for-3 game at the plate with a walk.

In game one on Saturday, Defiance fell to Anderson 10-9 which extended the Yellow Jackets losing streak to 12 games. Despite going down by six runs late in the game, the Yellow Jackets fought back to get within one from runs by Waterman, Kohlhofer, Donese, Helland, and Levengood.

In the seventh, Waterman hit his second homerun of the day, a two-run shot that also brought in the run from Kohlhofer.

Chris Donese singled in the eighth inning to bring up the top of the order. Helland singled to left center to bring in Donese. Kohlhofer, up next for DC, doubled to left field to earn his third RBI of the day.

In the ninth inning, Levengood doubled down the right field line. Tyler Sloan then singled to put Levengood in scoring position on third base. Masopust's fielder's choice earned the run of Levengood to make the score 10-9.

Defiance had a chance to tie the game or take the lead with the go-ahead run at the plate, but the Yellow Jackets were unable to collect the timely hit needed, falling 10-9.

The Yellow Jackets started out the game with a lead after Waterman hit his first homerun of the day to give DC a 2-0 advantage.

After Anderson tied the game at two in the fourth, they took the lead with two more runs in the fifth inning. However, the Yellow Jackets responded with two runs in the bottom of that inning. Kohlhofer doubled, scoring Donese for the first run. Gary Levengood singled to score Waterman, tying the score at four.

Waterman finished game one 3-for-5 at the plate, including four RBIs and three runs scored. On the day Waterman had five hits, three homeruns, five RBIs and four runs.

Kohlhofer and Donese also had three-hit games in the first game of the day. Kohlhofer had two RBIs and a run, while Donese scored two runs for DC.

Defiance will look to use the momentum of the game two victory to generate a second half push. The Yellow Jackets will travel to Bluffton on Tuesday for a 4:15 p.m. first pitch against the arch rival.