Baseball splits HCAC-opening doubleheader against Transy

The Defiance baseball team split their first HCAC doubleheader against reigning conference champ Transylvania. The Yellow Jackets won game one 12-5 and fell in the second game 5-3. Both games were played at Defiance High School.

Game 1

Inside The Numbers

• Senior Lucas Thomeier went 3-5 with a pair of three-run homers.
• Senior Nate Kaffenbarger had two hits and drove in two runs.
• Freshmen Gunner Gregg and Tyler Dehan each had two hits.
• Freshman Jacob Hild drove in two runs.
• Senior Alex Morr had a hit, drew a walk, and stole two bases
• Senior Cohen Nies struck out five over 5.1 innings to pick up his third win of the season.
• Senior Tyler Hines threw 3.2 shutout innings to pick up the save, the first of his career.
• Trent Pahl led Transylvania with two hits.
• TJ Keck drove in two ruins for the Pioneers.
• Connor Arnold took the loss for Transy.

The Difference

• The Yellow Jackets came back from a 5-0 deficit by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 7-5 lead.
• The Yellow Jackets added another run off a sac fly from Hild that scored Trent Murdock.
• Thomeier blasted a three-run homer to center to make the Defiance lead 11-5 in the eighth and Kaffenbarge drove in Morr with a single to make the score 12-5.
• Hines was stellar out of the bullpen, surrendering only three hits in his 3.2 innings of work.
• Defiance outhit Transy, 12-9.

Game 2

Inside The Numbers

• Hild led Defiance with a pair of hits in the contest.
• Sophomore Hunter Bostater drove in two runs.
• Freshman Sam Thombs took the loss to drop his record to 1-1 on the season.
• Sophomore John Hammerstein struck out four and didn't allow a baserunner over two perfect innings of relief.
• Calvin Schubert and Trent Youngblood each had two hits and homered.
• Brennan Perry also homered for Transy.
• Max Medley earned the win while Kaden Hill picked up the save.

The Difference

• Transy took a 4-0 lead after four innings.
• The Yellow Jackets got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the fifth off a two-run double by Bostater and a single from Murdock.
• The Pioneer bullpen held off the Defiance comeback, allowing just two hits over the final four innings while striking out seven.
• Transy struck out 15 batters compared to Defiance's eight.

Up Next

• The Yellow Jackets will travel to Earlham for an HCAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 5 with the first game set for 5 PM.