Jackets Get Past Mount St. Joseph on Walk-Off

TOLEDO, OHIO  --  After giving up the lead in the top of the ninth inning, senior Chris Donese (Kettering/Fairmont) delivered the game-winning hit that was set up by a junior Ryan Kohlhofer (Walbridge/Lake) triple giving the Defiance College baseball team a 9-8 walk-off victory against Mount St. Joseph University at Mercy Field in Toledo.

The offensive shootout begin with a combined six runs in the first inning.  Mount St. Joseph (6-8, 1-4 HCAC) got things started with a run in the top of the first inning.  Defiance (7-6, 2-3 HCAC) answered by scoring five runs in the bottom half of the inning highlighted by a two-RBI single by junior Gary Levengood (Beverly Hills, Fla./Lecanto) with bases loaded.  Senior Matt Staels (Harrison Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse), senior Joel Musser (Center Line, Mich./Center Line) and senior Ian Burkhart (Fremont, Ind./Fremont) also recorded RBIs in the inning.

The Yellow Jackets added another run in the second thanks to a RBI-ground out with runners at first and third base to increase the lead to 6-1.  The Lions then began to chip away at the lead scoring a run in the third and two more in the fourth to trail, 6-4.  DC got some breathing room in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs that included a RBI-single by Levengood making the score 8-4.  MSJ would not go away as the Lions struck for two more runs in the fifth to narrow the gap to two runs again, 8-6.

The lead remained two runs for DC heading into the top of the ninth inning.  Following a lead-off walk, MSJ hit a pop-up to record out number one.  The Lions then got runners at the corners thanks to a wild pitch and a single.  Two batters later, MSJ tied the game at 8-8 with a two-run double.  Defiance would get out of the inning without giving up the go-ahead run and would need their bats to get hot in their half of the inning in order to not go to extras.

The bottom of the ninth began with a flyout for DC, but then Kohlhofer put the Jackets in excellent position to win the game with a deep shot to center field that found its way over the center fielder's head, allowing Kohlhofer to get to third base with only one out.  The very next batter, Donese found space just past the Lion third baseman to plate Kohlhofer from third and seal the 9-8 victory.

Defiance tallied 11 hits in the game and four players each finishing with multiple hits.  Kohlhofer ended the game two-of-three and scored three runs.  Levengood, Staels and Donese all went two-of-four with Levengood also accounting for a run scored and four RBI.  Staels also scored a run and a RBI, while Donese had two runs scored and a RBI.  

On the mound, sophomore Matt Clark (Sandusky/Perkins) started the game and pitched five full innings allowing six runs, four earned, on 10 hits and struck out five batters.  Fellow sophomore Nick Peters (Macomb, Mich./Eisenhower) came in to pitch the final four innings and ended up as the pitcher of record and got his first win of the season to improve to 1-1 overall.  In four innings, he gave up two runs on three hits and had two strikeouts.

Defiance and MSJ will square off again tomorrow (Sunday, Mar. 29) with a doubleheader at Mercy Field in Toledo.  The first game is cheduled to begin at 11 a.m.