Baseball Sweeps Manchester in Walk-Off Fashion

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College baseball team swept Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Manchester in walk-off fashion on Thursday afternoon at Craig A. Rutter Field. Defiance won game one 6-5 and captured the night cap 6-0.

The Purple and Gold we led on the day by junior Michael Gilliland (Napoleon) and sophomore Jon Brown (Haskins/Ostego). Gilliland led DC in game one going 3-for-5 including a walk-off home run to left field. Brown displayed a dominate performance in game two on the mound for the Yellow Jackets pitching a complete game shutout en route to his fifth victory of the season.

In game one, the Spartans ran ahead early as a single to center field plated the contest first run, 1-0. However, the Purple and Gold responded in the bottom half of the inning as a single from Gilliland set the stage for senior Glen Collier (Zionsville, Ind.). Collier delivered as he crushed a ball over the left field fence to put DC on top 3-1.

Manchester fought its way back into the contest recording RBI singles in the top of the second inning and the fourth inning to knot the score at 3-3.

In the bottom half of the inning, junior Garrett Sierra (Defiance) deemed clutch as he notched an RBI single to center field putting DC back on top, 4-3.

The Spartans charged back once more scoring a run in the top of the sixth followed by a run in the seventh to regain the 5-4 advantage.

Defiance remained poise at the plate as freshman Lucas Thomeier (Wickliffe) provided the game tying hit in the top of the eighth inning setting the stage for a dramatic finale.

Gilliland did not disappoint as he delivered a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the victory.

Freshman Cohen Nies (Logansport, Ind./Lewis-Cass) recorded his first win on the mound for DC pitching four complete innings with three strike outs.

Defiance carried the momentum into the night cap scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning off a junior Troy Konwinski (Allen Park, Mich.) RBI single to right field.

The Purple and Gold added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth inning as junior Tyler Weaver (Defiance) provided a sacrifice fly to center field that scored sophomore Jude Neary (Toledo/Cardinal Stritch Catholic).

The Yellow Jackets tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to secure the complete game shutout for Brown.

Brown faced 35 batters in the contest surrendering just five hits and tallying five strikeouts.

Defiance returns to action on Saturday, April 28 as they play host to Hanover College. First pitch is set for noon.