Baseball Splits with Rose-Hulman

TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- The Defiance College baseball team returned to HCAC play after an extended hiatus and split a pair of contests with Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, losing the opener 8-0, but returning to win the nightcap, 2-1.

In game one, the Engineers scored one run in the first and followed that up with a pair of runs in the third and fourth inning off sophomore Will Bohlman (Centerville), who allowed five runs on nine hits in four innings of action. 

Freshman Cohen Nies (Logansport, Ind./Lewis-Cass) threw the final four frames, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and striking out a trio of Engineers.

The game belonged to Rose-Hulman hurler Luke Buehler, who threw a complete-game shutout, allowing seven hits and striking out five Yellow Jackets. Seven of the nine Defiance hitters in the lineup finished with a hit, and each of them were singles.

Defiance ended their losing streak with a 2-1 victory in the nightcap.

The scoring started right away in the first inning, as junior Michael Gilliland (Napoleon) reached on a fielder's choice, which was followed by a double for senior Glen Collier (Zionsville, Ind.) that moved him to third. Junior Troy Konwinski (Allen Park, Mich.) drove in Gilliland with a sacrifice fly to give Defiance an early 1-0 edge. 

Defiance added their second tally in the third inning. A one-out Gilliland single started the rally, and he advanced to second when Collier was hit by a pitch. Two batters, later freshman Nate Kaffenbarger (DeGraff/Indian Lake) singled to drive Gilliland in for the second time and gave DC the 2-0 lead. 

Sophomore Jon Brown (Haskins/Otsego) allowed his only run in the bottom of the frame on a two-out RBI single that cut the deficit to 2-1.

Brown went 5.1 innings to earn the win and improve to 4-3 on the season. He allowed one run on five hits and struck out two. Konwinski came on in relief, allowing three hits and two walks, but not allowing a run and striking out three Engineers to earn his second save of the year.

Collier and junior Tyler Weaver (Defiance) got two hits apiece, while Gilliland scored both of the DC runs, off the bats of Konwinski and Kaffenbarger.

Defiance will return to action with another pair of HCAC contests on Tuesday, Apr. 24, as they return to Craig A. Rutter Field for make-up games against the Manchester University Spartans. First pitch for the opener is set for 1 p.m.