Baseball splits with St. Elizabeth to begin Florida trip

Fort Myers, Fla. - The Defiance baseball team opened up their spring break trip Monday with a doubleheader against St. Elizabeth at Terry Park. The Yellow Jackets won game one 13-2 and the Eagles won game two 5-2. That was the first win of the season for the Eagles, they are now 1-5 and the Yellow Jackets move to 1-4.

Game one:

• Dylan King got the scoring started when he scored on a passed ball.

• Alex Morr almost made a spectacular diving catch, but Ryan Deal's double tied things up at two for the Eagles.

• Moor redeemed himself as he dumped a single to score King to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth.

• The Eagles had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fifth but Cohen Nies got out of the jam. He struck out Ryan Deal and Brad Edwards flied out to end the inning.

• The Yellow Jackets blew the game open in the sixth. Tyler Dehan and Dylan King drew walks to begin the inning and Alex Morr followed with a single to load the bases. Mitchell Roever was hit by a pitch, Gunner Gregg walked, Trent Murdock singled, Jacob Hild singled, and Austin Horning singled to all bring in runs.

• Kolbe Vanderleest made his collegiate debut in the seventh with a pinch hit RBI double to score Hunter Bostater.

Inside The Numbers:

• Nies was credited with the win, his first of the season and struck out five.

• Johnny Hammerstein and Ethan Jenkins both pitched one inning.

• Murdock and Horning each drove in two runs.

• Six Yellow Jackets had two hits apiece.

• Ryan Deal drove in the only two runs of the game for the Eagles.

• Aneglo Marabello and Bryce Egan had two hits each.

Game two:

• The Eagles plated three runs in the top of the second to take the early lead. Cole Weingarter scored on a wild pitch and Anthony Padilla doubled to bring in two more.

• St. Elizabeth took advantage of a throwing error by Garret Long in the fourth inning and extended their lead to 5-0.

• Defiance answered with one run via an RBI groundout by Jacob Hild.

• The Yellow Jackets attempted a rally in the seventh but could only manage one run. Hild reached on an error to start the inning. Tyler Dehan followed with a bunt and was thrown out on a close play at first. Horning singled and Hunter Bostater would drive in Hild with a sac fly. Alex Morr grounded out to end the game.

Inside The Numbers:

• Brad Edwards threw all seven innings and got the win.

• Sam Thombs took the loss for the Yellow Jackets.

• Josh Vischer had two hits in the game.

• Anthony Padilla had two hits and two RBIs for the Eagles.

Up Next:

• The Yellow Jackets return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader against UW-Stout with game one beginning at 9 a.m.