Baseball splits two games with Lions in HCAC play

HAMILTON, Ohio – The Defiance College baseball team was back on the road for a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Mount St. Joseph University Lions on Saturday, and split the two games. At Foundation Field on Miami University's Hamilton campus, Defiance claimed a 9-2 win in the opener before dropping a 4-0 decision.

The Yellow Jackets raced out to a 9-0 lead in the first contest, with the big inning being a five-run third, before Mount St. Joseph scored twice in the bottom of the eighth.

DC outhit the Lions, 10-4, and did not make an error. Defiance, which stole four bases, had a 16-5 edge in total bases.

Leading the Yellow Jackets' offense was Nate Kaffenbarger, who recorded three hits, including a solo home run with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Colin Minner posted two hits while Lucas Thomeier tripled and Zach Johnson doubled. Johnson also drew two walks, drove in a run and scored another.

Cohen Nies was DC's starting pitcher and got the victory after going seven innings, yielding just four hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts. Freshman John Hammerstein and Tyler Hines each tossed a scoreless inning with no hits allowed.

In game two, MSJU pushed across single runs in the first and third innings and added a pair in the seventh.

This time, the hosts had an 11-6 advantage in hits and played error-free.

The top two batters in Defiance's lineup, Thomeier and freshman Zach Martin, each ended with three hits. Thomeier also walked and stole a base.

On the mound for the Jackets, Will Bohlman gave up three earned runs and just one walk with three strikeouts over seven innings in taking the loss. Zac Brazen struck out the side in working a scoreless eighth inning.

DC is 2-4 overall and in the HCAC while Mount St. Joseph is 3-3. Defiance is slated to host a conference twinbill versus Transylvania University on Sunday at 1 p.m.