Jackets Open Series With Win in Extra Innings

TERRE HAUTE, IND.  --  Defiance scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 2-2 tie and gave the Yellow Jacket baseball team a 5-2 win against Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology to begin a three-game Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference series in Terre Haute, Ind.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when Defiance (11-19, 8-9 HCAC) scored a run on a defensive error with runners on first and second base and allowed sophomore Tyler Weaver (Defiance) to score.

The Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the seventh on another defensive error that allowed sophomore Michael Gilliland (Napoleon) to score from second base to make the margin 2-0.

DC maintained its two-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth when Rose-Hulman (14-16, 12-5 HCAC) got runners on second and third with one out.  The Fightin' Engineers plated one of the runs on a groundout and then tallied the game-tying score on a single making the score 2-2 and forcing extra innings.

Defiance continued to take advantage of defensive miscues in the 10th and took the lead on an error with runners on second and third base.  The Jackets added two more runs later in the inning on a two-run single by sophomore Tanner Stippich (Lima/Allen East) to increase the margin to 5-2 heading into the bottom of the frame.

In Rose-Hulman's half of the inning, the Engineers went down in order, beginning with back-to-back strikeouts.  The game then ended on a flyout to center field as Defiance went on to the 5-2 victory.

The Jackets had six hits in the game with the only multi-hit game coming off the bat of senior Nick Watkins (Lima/Central Catholic) who finished two-of-three.  Gilliland and Weaver both went one-of-three with Gilliland scoring a pair of runs and Weaver crossing home plate once.  Stippich ended the game one-of-five to go along with his two RBI.

Senior Dave Blanch (Alliston, Ont./Banting Memorial) started at pitcher for DC and lasted 8.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits and five strikeouts.  He ended up with a no decision.  Sophomore Troy Konwinski (Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) came on to pitch the final 1.1 innings and picked up the win after allowing no hits or runs and had two strikeouts.

Defiance and Rose-Hulman will play a HCAC doubleheader tomorrow (Sunday, Apr. 23) to end the series.  The first game is scheduled to begin at noon in Terre Haute, Ind.