Baseball Comes Up Short in Offensive Shootout

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  In a game that saw 26 runs scored, the Defiance College baseball team fell short of Manchester (Ind.) University, 14-12, in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Craig A. Rutter Field.

Defiance (14-14, 9-10 HCAC) scored three of its first four runs via a bases loaded walk, including its first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning that put the Yellow Jackets up, 1-0, early.  Manchester (18-11, 11-8 HCAC) answered with a three-run top of the second to take a 3-1 advantage.  But the lead didn't last long as DC scored three runs of its own in the third that included a pair of bases loaded walks and a RBI fielder's choice.  The Jackets then plated three more runs in the fourth on RBI base hits by junior Ben Weber (Troy/Lehman Catholic) and sophomore Tre' DeVoe (Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) and a sacrifice fly by sophomore Quinten Harrington (Sandusky/Perkins) to extend the lead to 7-3.

The Spartans cut into the deficit with two runs in the fifth, but DC came right back again with four runs in the bottom of the inning that included a three-run homerun by senior Chirs Donese (Kettering/Fairmont) making the score 11-5.  The Manchester offense then struck for seven unanswered runs, with six of those runs coming in the sixth inning highlighted by a three-run homer.  The seven runs gave the Spartans a 12-11 lead.  Following a pitching change by Manchester in the bottom of the eighth, junior Ryan Kohlhofer (Walbridge/Lake) went yard on the first pitch he saw from the new hurler to even the score at 12-12.

The difference maker came in the top of the ninth inning when the Spartans crossed homeplate twice on a two-RBI single with bases loaded.  The Yellow Jackets led off the bottom of the frame with a walk, but then recorded three straight outs giving the win to Manchester by the final of 14-12.

Defiance put up 11 hits in the game and was led by Donese who finished two-of-four with four runs scored and three RBI.  Kohlhofer went three-of-six with a pair of runs scored and RBI, while Weber also had three hits (three-of-five overall) to go along with two runs scored and a RBI.  DeVoe turned in a two-of-three effort and also scored a run and RBI.  

At pitcher, three pitchers saw playing time with sophomore Nick Peters (Macomb, Mich./Eisenhower) getting the start and pitching five and two-thirds innings allowing eight runs on 10 hits and struck out four batters.  Freshman Jacob Green (Defiance) ended up as the pitcher of record after three innings of relief, but gave up three runs, two earned, on one hit and had a pair of strikeouts.

Defiance is scheduled to travel to North Manchester, Ind. tomorrow (Wednesday, Apr. 22) for a second nine-inning game against Manchester.  The first pitch is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.