Yellow Jackets drop two against Concordia on Sunday

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance Yellow Jackets were defeated the Concordia Cardinals on Sunday in a tight 3-2 ballgame followed by a 12-3 loss at Defiance High School.

Game 1: Concordia 3, Defiance 2
Pitching dominated the first contest as DC starter Blake Bowman went toe-to-toe against three Concordia hurlers. Bowman tossed a season-high 6.1 innings, featuring seven strikeouts as he filled up the zone consistently. The Cardinals tallied single runs in the first and third but couldn't squeak past another before DC could answer.

The Jackets offense was looking for a clutch hit during the first half of the game with a runner left on third and a bases-loaded, inning-ending double play wiped out possible rallies. In the fifth, two seniors delivered with two outs when Gunner Gregg drew a bases-loaded walk following a game-tying single by Mitchell Roever. The Cardinals broke the tie the next half inning on a two-out balk by Bowman with runners on second and third.

Game 2: Concordia 12, Defiance 3
Concordia plated seven insurance runs in the late innings to put away the sweep, assisted by three Defiance errors. Aside from the late miscues, the second contest was competitive through the first seven innings. DC starter Josh Gase tossed three zeroes to start the game. The two teams traded three-run innings in the fourth that included an RBI single by Gregg plus a pair of two-out knocks by Tim Bobek and Elisa Marquez to bring in the tying runs.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The two losses increased Defiance losing skid to eight games, their longest of the season.
• The narrow loss in Game 1 was the teams ninth one-run game of the year and the Jackets are now 3-6 in such games.
• Blake Bowman's 6.1 innings of three-run ball gave the DC pitching staff their fourth quality start of the season. His seven strikeouts were his second outing of seven punch outs or more despite taking the tough-luck loss.
• Elisa Marquez was a tough out at the plate and went a combined 3-for-5 with a walk plus an RBI. She reached base three times in Game 2 with her first multi-hit game at DC.
• Gunner Gregg also posted a strong day at the plate with a 3-for-5 afternoon with two walks and two RBIs.
• Mitchell Roever went 1-for-5 with two walks plus the RBI knock in the first game, but also had a highlight play defensively in Game 2. With a Cardinal at third base with one out, he snagged a fly ball in center field and tossed a dart for catcher Tim Bobek to apply the tag on the runner attempting to score to end the inning.
• Connor Gephart extended his on-base streak to 17 games with a walk in Game 1 and was hit by pitch in Game 2.
• Tyler Sickmiller shouldered the defeat in Game 2 after Concordia broke the 3-3 tie against him in the fifth inning. The senior induced his third double play of the weekend to get DC out of the fourth.

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets return to action on Thursday when they host the Siena Heights Saints. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Rutter Field.

-JACKETS-