Kohlhofer Grand Slam Lifts DC Baseball Past Wabash

FT. MYERS, FLA.  --  Senior Ryan Kohlhofer (Walbridge/Lake) connected on a homerun with runners at every base to help lead the Defiance College baseball team to a 7-5 win against Wabash (Ind.) College in a single nine-inning game in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Kohlhofer's grand slam was one of eight hits for Defiance on the day and was one of two Yellow Jackets to record multiple hits.  He posted two hits in five attempts and scored a pair of runs in addition to his four RBI.  Junior Quinten Harrington (Sandusky/Perkins) also had two hits and went two-of-three to go along with a RBI.

Defiance (3-3) looked to take control right out of the gate with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a defensive error and a sacrifice fly by Harrington later in the inning.  Wabash cut the Jacket lead in half in the second to make the score 2-1.  DC then gained some breathing room with five unanswered runs beginning with four runs in the fourth on Kohlhofer's grand slam and a run in the fifth on back-to-back wild pitches following a ground rule double by freshman Tyler Weaver (Defiance) to begin the inning.

Wabash (3-7) mounted a charge of its own following DC's five unanswered runs with four straight scores that included three runs in the bottom of the fifth and another run in the sixth to make the score 7-5.  The Yellow Jacket defense then shut down the Little Giants with three consecutive "three-up, three-down" innings led by solid pitching by sophomore Cody Nelson (Clayton, Mich./Hudson) in a relief effort as DC went on to the 7-5 final.

Nelson was credited as the winning pitcher in the game going five complete innings and giving up one run on just two hits and had five strikeouts.  Fellow sophomore Jacob Green (Defiance) got the start and pitched four innings allowing four runs on four hits and struck out three batters in a no decision.

The Jackets will conclude their Florida schedule tomorrow (Friday, Mar. 11) with a doubleheader against Rivier (N.H.) University.  The first game of the twinbill is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.