Jackets return to Rutter Field, split with UM-Dearborn
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | X | 5 | 9 | 1 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance Yellow Jackets hung on to a 5-4 victory and dropped a 4-2 decision against the Michigan-Dearborn Wolverines in DC's first date on their home field this season on Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets (13-23, 6-9 WHAC) surpassed last season's conference win total with the win in the opener. Despite being turned away from their first doubleheader sweep in league play for the seconds straight league meeting, DC was still able to jump up to 9th place in the WHAC at the close of Saturday's action.
Game 1 - Defiance 5, Michigan-Dearborn 4
Aiden Behrman (Win, 3-3) and the Yellow Jackets shook off an early deficit to capture the first contest. Despite a first-inning run by the Wolverines, the junior right-hander settled in by retiring 7 straight hitters while the offense picked up a pair to grab the lead in the third. Behrman fended off UM-Dearborn in the fifth, holding them to one run on a Max Granatstein double. After a 1-2-3 sixth, he racked up a career-high 8 strikeouts and worked into the seventh before giving way to Devin Delzeith with 1 out and 2 runners aboard. Granatstein slugged a 2-run double to bring the Wolverines within one but Delzeith closed the door with a groundout and fly out to end the game for his first career save.
Offensively, the Yellow Jackets were fueled by 5 extra-base hits among their 9 total hits in the contest. Caleb Wurster sparked the scoring with a triple in the third and was squeezed home by Elisa Marquez to tie the game 1-1. Hits by Anthony Silvera Jr. and Hayden Kanagy plus a walk to Logan Rosenberger loaded the bases to set up Bradyn Shaw's go-ahead sacrifice fly. Marquez delivered her second RBI of the contest with a single in the fourth just ahead of Silvera's RBI double. Defiance finished their scoring in the fifth when Logan Hudson doubled home Connor Gephart to make the lead 5-1.
Game 2 - Michigan-Dearborn 4, Defiance 2
Michigan-Dearborn's 3-run third inning paired with turning Defiance away in the sixth with the bases loaded led to the Wolverines snapping an 8-game losing streak. Alex Schmitt socked a solo homer off the left field foul pole to open the scoring in the third while UM-Dearborn churned out three more hits in the inning to lead 3-0. Wolverine starter Luis Gallardo (Win, 1-4) was able to dodge the big hit from Defiance all afternoon. The biggest spot occurred in the sixth when Defiance loaded the bases with 2 outs starting with a double by Jayden Stechschulte, but a bang-bang play at first base turned DC away empty-handed in a one-run game. UM-Dearborn went on to tack on an insurance run in the seventh with Lance Smith second RBI knock of the contest, while reliever Matt Cheetam locked down the final 5 outs for the save.
Defiance's strong day on the mound carried over into Game 2. Blake Bowman (Loss, 2-4) rebounded from allowing the first two hitters of the game to reach base and held the Wolverines scoreless. He then turned in a 1-2-3 second frame before he got tagged for 3 runs in the third. Joseph O'Neil had a similar start in relief and went on to post four one-run innings followed by two scoreless frames by Colin Danek.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Aiden Behrman's 8 strikeouts were the most by a DC pitcher in a game this season and were also a career best for the junior.
- Anthony Silvera Jr. pushed his hitting streak to 8 games after recording hits in each game. For the day, the senior went 3-for-7 with 2 doubles, one walk and was hit by a pitch. His 18th hit by pitch matched his program single-season record that he set last season.
- Connor Gephart extended his hitting streak to 7 in the first contest before an 0-for-3 second game snapped that string. With a walk in Game 2, his on-base streak lives to 8 games.
- Hayden Kanagy recorded 3 hits across the twinbill to push his active hitting streak to 7 games, which was highlighted by a pair of doubles in the first contest.
- Jayden Stechschulte logged a 3-hit game in the second contest, including a double and an RBI.
UP NEXT
DC heads to Toledo on Sunday to take on the Lourdes Gray Wolves for a pair of WHAC games. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. at Mercy Field.
-JACKETS-