DC drops series to Franklin after pair of losses Saturday

FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Defiance College Yellow Jackets dropped their two Heartland Collegiate Athletic COnference games on Saturday to Franklin College, 16-4 and 10-3, closing out the Yellow Jackets road schedule for the 2014 season.

Defiance took the lead in the top of the first inning after a Darin Waterman single to score Ryan Kohlhofer put DC up 1-0. However, Franklin answered back with a pair of runs on a bases loaded single in the bottom of the first.

The Yellow Jackets then tied up the game in the top of the second as Chris Donese hit an RBI single to score Matt Staels. However, Defiance was unable to match the offensive output of Franklin as the Grizzlies score a run in the bottom of the second to regain the lead and then added three, four, and five run innings over the next four innings to go ahead 15-3.

The lone scoreless inning in the stretch for Franklin came in the fifth inning after Defiance score in the top half with a Kohlhofer single to score Helland.

After a scoreless seventh, Cody Wiggins scored on a ground out by Royce Laurendeau, but Defiance was unable to generate anymore runs in the game, falling 16-4.

Kohlhofer finished with three of DC's eight hits in the game, while Staels was the only other Jacket with multiple hits, going 2-for-3.

In game two, Defiance was held scoreless through the first seven innings. Meanwhile, Franklin's offense worked open a 7-0 lead heading into the eighth.

Wiggins put the Yellow Jackets on the scoreboard with a fielder's choice play that scored Joel Musser from third base. In the next at bat, Kohlhofer singled and eventually reached third on an error that allowed Wiggins to come around and score.

After Franklin scored three in the bottom of the eighth inning, Defiance was only able to plate one run in the top of the ninth, falling 10-3. The run came from a Musser triple that scored Brandon Riley.

For the second straight game, Kohlhofer finished with a team-high three hits. On the day, he finished 6-for-8 with an RBI and a run scored. He was the only Yellow Jacket with multiple hits in game two.

Defiance will close out the 2014 season next weekend with a three-game series at home against Rose-Hulman. The Yellow Jackets will play a single game on Friday before a doubleheader on Saturday to go along with senior day festivities.