Defiance dealt another walk-off defeat to close series at Earlham

RICHMOND, Ind. – For the second time in their three-game series against the Earlham Quakers, the Defiance Yellow Jackets were downed in walk-off fashion, 4-3,  in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball action on Sunday at Randal Sadler Stadium.

Cohen Nies (Loss, 2-5; Logansport, Ind./Lewis Cass) tamed the Quakers' (17-12, 7-7 HCAC) bats to hold a 3-3 tie entering the bottom of the ninth, but Earlham connected on a single and double plus an intentional walk to load the bases with no outs. Max Stewart stepped up as a pinch hitter and smacked a grounder to short that allowed the winning run to score and complete the sweep of the Yellow Jackets (4-24, 1-13 HCAC).

Defiance overcame a 3-0 deficit to drum up the late-inning drama and outhit the Quakers, 12-8. All three Jacket runs were created in the seventh inning and ultimately chased Earlham starter Justin Dillhoff after six innings completed. Garret Long (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) started out with a double to right before Ethan Jenkins (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook) singled him over the third. As the order rolled over to the top, Mitchell Roever (Cincinnati, Ohio, Elder) delivered an infield, RBI single before a two-run single through the middle by Gunner Gregg (Grayton, Ohio/Oak Harbor) knotted the score at 3-3.

Nies worked 1-2-3 innings in the first, third, fifth and eighth while picking up double plays in the seventh and fourth, which also included a run cut down at the plate on a throw-in from right fielder Tyler Dehan (St. Henry, Ohio/St. Henry). While striking out a season-high nine hitters, the tall righty walked three and three of his four runs allowed was earned over eight innings completed. An Earlham single and double in the second manufactured the first run of the game and they tacked on two in the sixth with the help of an error plus a sacrifice fly.

On DC's offensive end, Roever, Gregg, Long and Jacob Hild (Holly, Mich./Holly) all recorded two hits apiece. 

The Yellow Jackets return to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon with a trip to Kalamazoo. First pitch against the Hornets is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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