Baseball Drops Series Finale Against Franklin

FRANKLIN, IND.  --  The Defiance College baseball team wrapped-up the Heartland College Athletic Conference three-game series against Franklin (Ind.) College with an 11-4 loss to the Grizzlies at McDowell Field in Franklin, Ind.

Defiance tallied five hits in the finale with sophomore Tyler Weaver (Defiance) being the lone Yellow Jacket to record a multi-hit game going two-of-four and also scored a run.  

Five players saw action on the mound for DC with senior Dave Blanch (Alliston, Ont./Banting Memorial) getting the start, but would suffer the loss after going 3.2 innings and allowing eight runs on eight hits to go along with two strikeouts.

The Franklin (16-8, 8-3 HCAC) offense got going early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning which included a two-run homerun.  

Defiance (7-17, 4-7 HCAC) got on the board in the fourth with a pair of runs that came on a two-run double by freshman Everett Kissel (Defiance/Tinora).  But the Grizzlies then scored eight unanswered runs, beginning with five scores in the bottom of the fourth.  Franklin went on to add two runs in the fifth and another run in the six to lead, 11-2.

The Jackets tallied the final runs in the game with a run in both the seventh and ninth innings.  DC's run in the seventh came off the bat of senior Zack Reed (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek) with a solo homerun and the final run was scored on a double by sophomore Troy Konwinski (Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) that scored Reed.

The runs would come a bit too late, however, as Franklin went on to the 11-4 final.

Defiance will remain on the road and will travel to Bluffton, Ohio for a single, nine-inning game against HCAC opponent Bluffton University on Tuesday, Apr. 11.  The first pitch is slated for 4:15 p.m.