DC Baseball Continues Conference Play
Zachary Bires (Defiance, OH)
The Defiance College Baseball team continued its quest to make the conference tournament this past weekend with one game against Manchester and a 3 game series against Transylvania. The Jackets finished the week at 1-3, but playing 4 very tough and close games.
DC started the week off at Manchester playing the Spartans (9-8, 3-1 HCAC) on Tuesday afternoon. The Jackets, (9-7, 2-2 HCAC) started off the game very strongly, plating four runs in the top of the first inning. The Jackets held the Spartans until the 3rd and they put a 3 spot up. DC retaliated with run in the 4th, while the Spartans put 3 up again in the 5th, 1 in the 7th and 1 in the 8th. The Spartans were able to hold on to win the game 8-6. Cody Nelson got the loss for the Jackets, and Ryan Kohlhofer, Dom Gentile, and Quinten Harrington all had multi hit games.
DC then traveled down to Transylvania, Kentucky to play a 3 game series at the beautiful Lexington Legends complex, who is a single A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Mistakes ended up to hurt the Jackets over the weekend, where they lost the series, going 1-2.
The opening game of the series, the Pioneers jumped to a 4-0 lead, with the Jackets answering in the 2nd. By the 5th inning, the Jackets were up 13 to 5. The Pioneers then answered in the 6th inning, scoring 9 runs to take the lead. The Jackets were able to snag a run in the 8th to tie the game. The game stayed tied until the 11th inning, where the Pioneers were able to pull off the walk off single. Kohlhofer, Gentile, Levengood, Gilliland, Stippich, Weaver, and Reed all had a multi hit game for the Jackets.
The Jackets also dropped the second game to the Pioneers Saturday afternoon. Again, the Pioneers jumping out on top against the Jackets. The Jackets were able to score 5 runs before the Jackets scored their first run in the 8th, and scored 3 in the 9th, but not being able to come out on top, losing 5-4. Nick Peters threw well for the Jackets, throwing 8 innings, but still getting the loss. Kohlhofer, Harrington, Weber, Gilliland, and Stippich all had a multi hit game for the Jackets.
The Jackets were able to end the weekend on a high note, winning the final game of the series in extra innings, 19-17. The scores went back and forth all game, before DC was able to score 2 runs in the top of the 10th to take the lead off a mammoth home run by freshman Troy Konwinski, which was his first ever varsity start. Konwinksi finished the day an impressive 5 for 6, along with 3 RBI’s. Bryce Alabata was the winning pitcher, and Chris Douglas was able to record his 3rd save of the season.
After the game, Konwinski was asked about what that game meant and how his first home run felt, “I definitely had the adrenaline pumping. I was glad I could help put our team ahead. I knew Douglas was going to be able to shut the door on them if he had a lead. It was a huge game because we could salvage a win and avoid getting swept.”
The Jackets travel to Manchester on Tuesday, are home against Heidelberg on Wednesday, and home for a series against Franklin Friday and Saturday.
