Hanover Sweeps Doubleheader Against Defiance

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance started its final home weekend series with a pair of losses on Saturday afternoon against Hanover. The Yellow Jackets fell 10-6 in the opener and 12-7 in the nightcap at Craig A. Rutter Field. 

The Panthers struck in the top of the first inning on a three-run homer off the bat of Kyle Barnett and never looked back. Hanover would add single runs in the fourth and fifth, before unleashing for five in the sixth to take a commanding 10-2 advantage. 

Defiance rallied back with four in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 10-6 but could get no closer in the game-one defeat. 

Kirk Jesse got the Jackets on the board with a long home run in the third. The line drive sailed over the batter's eye in center field and highlighted Jesse's 1-3 day at the plate. Keith Wade turned in DC's only multi-hit performance in the opener, going 2-3 with a run scored. 

HC struck first in the second game as well, taking a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Defiance stormed back in the bottom of the second with a two-out rally, which saw Braden Brugler rope a two-run double and score on a single from Mike Dushane to knot the score at 3-3. 

It would stay tied until the Panthers exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth and tacked on four more in the sixth to break the game open. The 12-4 Hanover lead would hold up, as DC's three-run rally in the ninth came up short in the 12-7 loss. 

Wade had another good day at the plate, going 2-4 with three runs batted in, while Alex Timofeev was a perfect 2-2 with a run scored and a walk. 

Defiance (5-24, 1-12 HCAC) will finish its series with Hanover (12-19, 6-10 HCAC) on Sunday. Due to expected rain in the area, the start time for Sunday's series finale will be 10:00 am instead of the scheduled start time of noon. 

DC will recognize its four-man senior class of Chad Ballee, Nick Picciano, Aaron Stewart and Brad Timofeev prior to the start of Sunday's action.