Rally in Second Game Leads to Sweep of Franklin

FRANKLIN, IND.  --  Despite trailing, 9-1, in game two against Franklin (Ind.) College, the Defiance College baseball team rallied to beat the Grizzlies, 4-3 and 18-10 in eight innings, to win all three games of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference series.

In game one, Defiance (13-10, 6-5 HCAC) scored first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning and another run in the third to lead 3-0.  The Yellow Jackets' runs in the second were the result of a pair of passed balls and the run in the third came on a fielder's choice by junior Quinten Harrington (Sandusky/Perkins) with runners at the corners and allowed sophomore Dom Gentile (Defiance), who began the inning with a lead-off double, to score from third base.  

DC tacked on another run in the fourth on another defensive error that increased the margin to 4-0.  Franklin (9-15, 4-7 HCAC) then got on the board in the eighth crossing the plate twice and narrowing the gap to 4-2.  The Grizzlies added another run in the top of the ninth on an error, but the run would come with two outs.  Franklin had the tying run in scoring position at second base, but before that run could cross homeplate, the Jackets got the game-ending out preserving the 4-3 victory.

Defiance had seven hits in the game, all by different players.  Harrington went hitless on the day, but had the lone RBI.  Gentile ended the game one-of-three to go along with his run scored. 

On the mound, junior Nick Peters (Macomb, Mich./Eisenhower) started the game and pitched seven-and-a-third innings to get the win after allowing two runs on six hits and had four strikeouts.  He improves to 1-2 overall for the season with the victory.  Senior Chris Douglas (Wixom, Mich./Walled Lake Western) pitched the final inning and two-thirds to claim his second save of the season.  He gave up an unearned run on three hits.

In game two, Franklin struck first with a run in the top of the first inning with a lead-off solo homerun.  Defiance answered in the second with a run of its own thanks to a RBI-single by freshman Tyler Weaver (Defiance) to even the game at 1-1.  The Grizzlies regained the lead with a four-run third that included a bases loaded three-run double, making the score 5-1.  

Franklin added four more runs in the fifth to take a commanding 9-1 advantage.  But that's when the Yellow Jackets began to make their run beginning with five runs in the bottom of the fifth that included a two-RBI triple by freshman Michael Gilliland (Napoleon).  Franklin got one of the runs back in the sixth, but momentum stayed with DC as the Jackets put up seven runs in the bottom of the frame highlighted by a two-RBI single by Weber and another RBI-base hit by Gilliland for a 13-10 advantage.  

The final runs of the game came in the eighth when DC crossed homeplate five times that included a two-RBI single by senior Gary Levengood (Beverly Hills, Fla./Lecanto) and RBI-singles by Harrington and freshman Tanner Stippich (Defiance).

Following the conclusion of the inning, the game was called due to rain, handing the Jackets an 18-10 victory and the series sweep.

Defiance accounted for 16 hits in game two with five players recording multi-hit games.  Harrington posted a game-high three hits in four at-bats with three runs scored and three RBI.  Freshman Caleb Graff (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) came in as a pinch runner and stayed in the game to record two hits in two attempts in addition to scoring a pair of runs.  Levengood went two-of-four with two runs scored and three RBI.  Gilliland and senior Ryan Kohlhofer (Walbridge/Lake) both went two-of-five and also scored three runs.  Gilliland also added a game-high four RBI.

Junior Nick Watkins (Lima/Central Catholic) started the game on the hill for DC and pitched four innings giving up seven runs, three earned, on seven hits and had two strikeouts.  Junior Drew Miller (Walled Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central) came on in relief and pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing two runs on three hits.  Freshman Bryce Alabata (Bryan) came on to finish the game, and got the win, after allowing just a run on one hit and had six strikeouts in three-and-a-third innings.  Alabata improves to 1-0 overall for the season.

Defiance is scheduled to host Bluffton University in a HCAC single game on Tuesday, Apr. 12 at Craig A. Rutter Field.  The first pitch is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.