Yellow Jackets Earn Split in Doubleheader at Rose-Hulman

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – After a tough, hard-fought loss the night before to the Engineers, the Yellow Jackets came out on Saturday and showed its toughness by recording a 3-2 comeback win in game one of Saturday's two games before falling to the Engineers in game two by a final of 5-4.

In the first game of the doubleheader, both starting pitchers dominated much of the game. DC's Jake Taylor was on top of his game from the mound. The senior allowed just two runs over eight innings of work, as the pitcher gave up eight hits and one walk while striking out three.

Unfortunately for Taylor, the Yellow Jacket offense did not give him much support for most of the game, as Engineer starter R.J. Carroll did not allow a run through seven innings and the Purple and Gold found itself trailing 2-0 going into the top of the eighth.

With Defiance just six outs away from going down 2-0 in the three-game series, the Jackets' offense went to work. Ryan Kohlhofer hit a one-out infield single to the shortstop to get the rally started. Aaron Helland followed with another infield single coupled with an error by the Rose-Hulman second baseman to give the visitors runners on second and third with one out.

After a DC flyout for the second out of the inning, Darin Waterman stepped to the dish and singled to drive in two runs and tie the score at 2-2. The two RBIs were Waterman's 28th and 29th of the season, which leads the team.

In the bottom half of the frame, Taylor faced the minimum in his final inning of work and gave the Yellow Jackets a chance to steal the victory in the ninth.

The Purple and Gold was aided by a Rose-Hulman miscue to begin the final inning of regulation, as Andy Habecker reached first off an error from the Engineers' shortstop. With one out, Gary Levengood lined a single into center field to put move the go-ahead run into scoring position at second base.

Head Coach Derek Woodley then decided to go with a pinch hitter in Ben Weber and the move proved to pay big dividends for the Jackets. The freshman came through with a clutch single that scored Habecker and gave Defiance a 3-2 lead with three outs to go.

DC's closer Alex Schomaeker entered the game in the bottom of the ninth to close the door on the Engineers and secure the comeback victory. The senior retired all three batters he faced, striking out two on his way to his eighth save of the season. The eight saves makes the closer the single-season saves leader in Defiance College history and gives Schomaeker 14 for his career, the most in the school's history.

In the victory, the Yellow Jackets secured its first winning season for the first time since the 1999 season when the team went 19-16 on the year. Taylor received the victory, his team-leading fifth win of the year.

With the series tied 1-1, game two of the doubleheader was the rubber match that would decide which team finished the weekend in third place in the HCAC standings.

Both teams managed to plate a run in the first inning to begin the game 1-1. Rose-Hulman then went on to score a run in three of the next four innings to take a 4-1 lead heading into the sixth.

Like the first two games in the series, the Jackets once again battled back. With Donese standing on second and one out in the top of the sixth, Waterman came through again with an RBI double to bring the Purple and Gold within two runs. DC's Pat Masopust followed the double with an RBI single to trim the Engineer lead to one at 4-3.

After five innings of work from starter Ryan McLaughlin, the Yellow Jackets turned to Aaron Patterson in the sixth. The senior allowed a leadoff walk and then abruptly ended the inning with a double play followed by a strikeout.

DC tied the game at 4-4 in a sloppy top half of the seventh inning from the hosts. With one out, Jonathan Murphy reached first on a catcher's interference call and then swiped second base during the next at-bat. After a Defiance pop-out to third, Murphy advanced to third on an error by the catcher and then later scored the tying run on an error by the shortstop.

From the bottom of the seventh through the top of the ninth both Patterson and the Engineers' Caleb Post got dialed in on the mound, as both relievers shut the opposing bats down in decisive fashion.

Then in the bottom of the ninth, Rose-Hulman ended the game with its second walk-off win of the weekend. The hosts led off the inning with a bunt single and then sacrificed the runner to second. The Jackets then intentionally walked Hank Akard to put runners on first and second. After a pop-out to the first baseman for the second out of the frame, senior Bobby Newman connected on an RBI double to end the game and give Rose-Hulman the victory.

With the loss the Yellow Jackets fall to 11-9 in conference play, while the Engineers improve to 11-8, placing Rose-Hulman a half-game ahead of Defiance in third place.

The Purple and Gold plays its final home game of the season on Tuesday, April 30, as the squad hosts No. 15 Manchester at Craig A. Rutter Field. The first pitch is slated for 4:15 p.m.