Thomeier's walk-off single gives Yellow Jackets doubleheader split with Wis. Lutheran

The Defiance baseball team walked off in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran on a single down the right-field line by Lucas Thomeier.

The Basics

• Records: Defiance (3-3), Wisconsin Lutheran (1-6, 0-1)
• Location: George Brett Field at Terry Park - Fort Myers, Fla.

Game One

Inside The Numbers

• Junior Josh Vischer went 2-2 at the plate to lead Defiance.
• Senior Alex Morr had a hit in the contest as well.
• Sophomore John Hammerstein threw 4.1 innings and struck out six but took the loss.
• Senior Kendall Duval and Tyler Hines each threw 0.2 scoreless innings in relief.
• Ethan Orcutt went 2-2 with an RBI to lead Wisconsin Lutheran.
• Fabio Kamitani went the distance for the shutout with five strikeouts and three hits allowed.

The Difference 

• After four-and-a-half scoreless innings, Wisconsin Lutheran got on the board thanks to an RBI single from Orcutt
• The Warriors added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
• Wisconsin Lutheran outhit Defiance 5-3.

Game Two

Inside The Numbers

• Morr and sophomore Hunter Bostater each had two hits and doubled in the contest.
• Nate Kaffenbarger and Trent Murdock each drove in runs.
• Morr and Murdock each stole a base in the game.
• Thomeier drew a pair of walks and drove in the winning run in the ninth.
• Freshman Caleb Frank made his first career start on the mound and struck out four over 6.2 innings.
• Hines threw 1.1 hitless innings out of the bullpen.
• Freshman Logan Kunkel threw a perfect ninth inning and earned the win in his collegiate debut.
• Carter Raabe led the Warrior offense with two hits and two RBIs.
• Gabe Knight started for Wisconsin Lutheran and threw five innings while allowing three runs.
• Blake Bontrager threw the final 3.2 innings and took the loss after surrendering Thomeier's walk-off single.

The Difference

• Defiance scored three runs in the first thanks to RBI singles from Kaffenbarger and Murdock and Morr scoring on a delayed steal that was aided by a Warrior throwing error.
• The Warriors got a run back in the second on an RBI single from Danny Cain.
• Raabe tied the game in the top of the fourth with a two-run single to left-center.
• Frank was relived by Hines with two outs and a runner on first in the top of the seventh and Hines got the Yellow Jackets out of danger by picking off Orcutt.
• After being tied after seven innings the team entered extra innings.
• Hines also escaped trouble in the top of the eight thanks to an around-the-diamond 5-4-3-2 double play.
• Kunkel entered in the top of the ninth and made extremely quick work of the Warriors, shutting them down 1-2-3 on just six pitches.
• Freshman Gunner Gregg drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth and was moved over to second base by a pinch-hit sacrifice bunt by sophomore Mitchell Roever.
• Gregg advanced to third off a groundout by freshman Tyler Dehan and scored the game-winning run when Thomeier ripped a ball down the third-base line.
• Defiance defense played well and recorded three double plays.

Up Next

• Defiance will face Skidmore on March 17 for a doubleheader with the first game slated for 9:00 a.m. The doubleheader will be the final two games of DC's time in the Sunshine State.