BATAVIA, Ohio - The Mount St. Joseph baseball team, hosted the Defiance College Yellow Jackets in what will be there final matchup as Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference foes. The Lions took game one of the double-header with a 14-4 run rule victory, before dropping a game two pitchers dual 4-2.
GAME ONE | MSJ 14 - DC 4 (F/8) (WP: A. Post; LP: Gase; S: Ysseldyke)
In game one of the double-header the Lions sent 5th year senior
Aidan Post to the mound to start the game. Post was rudely welcomed, as his first pitch of the game was hit over the fence for a leadoff homerun for Defiance. Post would allow a trio of hits in the first inning, but settled in to only allow three more over the next 5.1 innings. In the end he pitched 6.1 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs, while striking out 8 Defiance hitters, securing his third win of the season.
In the bottom of the first the Defiance starter struggled with command, walking the first four batters he faced. A bases loaded free pass to
Brennan Martin tied the game at one. The Lions were unable to capitalize, grounding into a double-play to end the inning.
Both pitchers settled after the first, as over the next three innings combined the teams only managed three baserunners. The Lions finally took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Jordan Harley led off with a basehit and
Tyler Herbers followed with a walk.
Matt Brankamp then put the Lions ahead with an RBI double to left center, an out later
Jake Lawson lifted a sacrifice fly into center pushing the Lions ahead 3-1.
They would add two more in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Brennan Martin led off with a basehit into centerfield, he would score on an RBI double to center by
Ethan Mason.
Kevin Schaaf would reach on a bunt single. An out later Herbers walked again, followed by another RBI single for Brankamp.
In the top of the 7th Defiance got a pair of hits off of Post, so with two on and one out the Lions called on Freshman
Nathan Ysseldyke. Yssledyke hit the first batter he faced, then allowed an RBI single, but retired the next two hitters to limit the damage.
Leading 5-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh the Lions exploded for a five-run inning. Lawson led off with a double, he scored on an RBI triple by
Andrew Harrison. Martin laced an RBI single up the middle and then Mason hit a homerun to left, his first of the season. Then with runners at the corners and two-outs, the Lions executed a perfect double steal with Brankamp and Harley to get their fifth run of the inning.
Defiance scored a pair in the top of the 8th to make the score 10-4. The Mount then scored four in the bottom of the inning to get the mercy rule victory. The final run came as Herbers was lifted for a pinch runner, Nick Shields at second base and two outs. Shields would advance twice via wild pitch to score the final run of the game.
Ysseldyke would earne the first save of his MSJ career in the game.
GAME TWO | DC 4 - MSJ 2 (WP: Bowman; LP:Richter: S: Gregg)
Game two was a pitchers dual from the start,
Derek Richter went to the mound for the Lions. The junior righthander threw the front 5.0 innings allowing only 5 hits, and 2 earned runs while striking out 4.
Blake Bowman the Defiance starter was outstanding, keeping the Lions off balance for 7.1 innings. He allowed only three hits and one earned run in the game.
The game was scoreless into the fourth inning when Defiance struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the inning, they would add another in the sixth. Carrying a 3-0 lead into the late innings, the Lions finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth. Brankamp got it started with a one-out single, he would score on an RBI double by
Anton Mere. Then Lawson walked, forcing Defiance to go to their closer. Harrison hit an RBI single just inside the foul line down the right field line. Harrison and Lawson would advance into scoring position with one-out on a wild pitch. Defiance then got a strikeout of Martin and an infield pop-up of Mason to get off the hook.
Defiance added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. In the bottom of the ninth Schaaf led off with a double but was stranded at second.
UP NEXT:
The Lions have a busy week (weather permitting) they will be on the road at Wilmington on Tuesday, host Asbury on Wednesday and then head to Franklin this weekend to continue HCAC play.
