Jackets sweep UM-Dearborn with walk-off on Senior Day

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance Yellow Jackets picked up two home wins of 9-3 and 8-7 on Saturday afternoon over the Michigan-Dearborn Wolverines to complete the conference schedule at Craig A. Rutter Field.

The Yellow Jackets (13-35, 5-23 WHAC) snapped a five-game slide and picked up their first walk-off win of the season in the second contest. The Wolverines (1-45, 0-26 WHAC) fell to their 40th straight loss and remain winless in conference play.

Game 1: Defiance 9, Michigan-Dearborn 3
Gunner Gregg delivered a sterling final start of the season with his second complete-game win of the season, striking out 10 Wolverines in the process. Despite a two-out home run allowed in the top of the first, his offense got behind him in the bottom of the inning. Mitchell Roever poked a two-out, two-run, go-ahead single through the middle of the diamond to claim the lead. Connor Gephart extended the lead in the second when he cleared the bases on a three-run double to the right field alley. Gephart added his fourth RBI on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. After UM-Dearborn scratched single runs across on Gregg in the third and fifth, Defiance put together a three-run inning starting with a long RBI single off the left field fence by Kolbe VanderLeest. Hild bases-loaded walk, 

Game 2: Defiance 8, Michigan-Dearborn 7
The Yellow Jackets overcame two deficits and rallied in the ninth inning to earn the sweep. Down 4-0 on a pair of unearned runs, the bats got rolling in the third to the contest. Connor Gephart knocked an RBI single to get the Jackets on the board before Gunner Gregg slugged a game-tying, three-run homer to tie the game. The Wolverines took the lead back with a single run in the fourth. The score stood 5-4 for much of the game thanks to stellar relief by Tyler Sickmiller. He locked down four straight scoreless innings and retired 13 straight hitters into the ninth inning. 

In the ninth inning, the Wolverines pushed home a pair of unearned runs to expand their lead to 7-4. However, the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Alex Rodriguez III and pinch hitter Kolbe VanderLeest followed by Anthony Silvera Jr.'s hit by pitch. Jacob Hild drew a bases-loaded walk followed by a Gephart RBI fielder's choice. The game-winning knock from Gregg on a two-run double to the right-center gap.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Gunner Gregg's complete-game in Game 1 was his third quality start of the season and set a new career-high with 10 strikeouts. His 10-strikeout effort was the first Yellow Jacket pitcher to whiff double-digit hitters since 2022. 
• At the plate, Gregg tied the team lead with his fourth home run of the season and 16th of his career and fourth all-time at DC. His six total RBIs for the day moved him inside the program's all-time list in that category as well. For the afternoon, Gregg went 4-for-6 and drew three walks.
• Jacob Hild had a pair of two-hit games to surpass 50 hits for the season and also added his 10th double of the campaign.
• Tyler Sickmiller compiled his longest pitching appearance of his career of 5.2 innings.
• Mitchell Roever went 2-for-2 with a two-run single in the first game.
• Tyler Dehan combined to go 3-for-8 at the plate with a two-hit game in the opener. 
• Alex Rodriguez III also collected hits in each game, going 3-for-7 overall. 
• Connor Gephart also had a big day going 3-for-6 with six total RBIs. 

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets finish their season on Sunday by hosting a non-conference doubleheader against Kent State-Tuscarawas. First pitch against the Golden Eagles is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Craig A. Rutter Field.

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