Yellow Jackets stung by ONU in rain-shortened contest

DEFIANCE, Ohio - A picture-perfect Thursday afternoon turned quickly for the Defiance Yellow Jackets when the Ohio Northern Polar Bears posted a 14-3 win in a game that was called off due to thunderstorms in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Ohio Northern pounced early with a six-run first inning before adding two in the second. They also plated three runs in each the fourth and fifth frames. In the first, the Polar Bears did their damage on four hits highlighted by a two-run double from Sam Sells and a two-run single out of Evan Russ. Sells tacked on RBI knocks in the second inning and again in the fourth ahead of a two-run homer by Russ in the fourth to put ONU ahead by double figures.

Polar Bear hurler Joe Tootle kept the Jackets in check for the first four innings and surrendered an unearned run during the fifth frame. The bottom of the order sparked the Yellow Jackets when Tyler Dehan recorded the first of his two hits for the game by legging out an infield hit. Alex Rodriguez III kept the line moving when he smacked a single up the middle. As Dehan went first-to-third on the play to force a throw to third by the center fielder, Rodriguez took off for second and reached on a bad throw from third to bring Dehan in for DC's first run.

Facing reliever Brady Corbitt in the sixth, they worked back-to-back walks to set the table for Dehan to deliver an RBI single to left. Rodriguez came through again with an RBI groundout to make it a two-run frame. After a walk by Gunner Gregg, ONU went to the bullpen again but the approaching storm halted play due to lightning before rain washed out the remainder of the contest.

Dehan and Rodriguez each went 2-for-3 with an RBI to account for four of DC's five hits. Connor Gephart had the other, a double in the third inning, and worked a first-inning walk to extend his on-base streak to 23 games.

UP NEXT

DC played two conference doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday to complete the season. The Yellow Jackets travel to Manchester on Saturday for a twin bill beginning noon. Sunday is Senior Day against Earlham scheduled for a 1 p.m. start at Rutter Field.

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