Spartans Top Defiance in HCAC Showdown at Parkview Field

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Defiance College could not dent the scoreboard until the bottom of the eighth inning and suffered a 9-3 loss to Manchester College at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Monday evening.

The Spartans (14-12, 6-5 HCAC) took the lead with single tallies in the third and fifth innings, before breaking the game open with a three-run rally in the sixth inning. DC eventually found itself in a 9-0 deficit, before cracking the scoring column in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Defiance started the rally by loading the bases with nobody out and got on the board with run-scoring ground outs from Aaron Helland and Bryn Lehman to narrow the gap to 9-2. Brent Kremer then laced an RBI single in the ninth to score Andy Habecker and cap the scoring in the 9-3 affair.

Lehman, Habecker, Kremer and Jonathan Murphy accounted for the four Yellow Jacket hits in the contest, with all coming via a single.

Ryan McLaughlin (2-3) battled with his control throughout the evening, walking six MC batters but only allowed three earned runs over his 5.1 innings. Clint Hoskins and Alex Schomaeker also pitched for Defiance and turned in scoreless outings in relief.

The Jackets (8-17, 1-10 HCAC) will be back in action on Friday, when they begin a three-game set at Earlham (12-12, 2-8 HCAC).