The Golden Eagles dropped a double header to visiting Defiance College on Tuesday, losing the opening game 12-1 and surrendering an 8-7 lead in the top of the seventh inning to drop the finale 16-8 at Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School's field.
There wasn't much to celebrate in the opener despite the Eagles outhitting the Yellow Jackets 6-3, with Andrew Powell colleting two singles while going 2-2 at the plate. Defiance rapped out a double to go along with two safeties.
The visitors scored four runs in the second, three in each of the third and fourth frames and two in the top of the fifth to stake themselves to a 12-0 lead. They kept the bases busy by piling up nine walks to go along with 11 batters who were hit-by-pitch, while the Eagles struggled to manufacture any offense.
KSU Tusc scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as Spencer Kornspan crossed the plate after leading off with a single to left field. He moved into scoring position on a Powell single and came home on a Kyle Shockley one-base hit.
In the final game, the Golden Eagles bats came alive early as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Powell's white-hot bat continued as he banged out three hits in four at bats in the loss and he knocked in a pair of runs and scored twice as well. Braydon Maine had the only Eagles extra base hit on a double in the first inning.
After Maine's double, Powell singled scoring two runners, Steve Michniak forced in another run after being struck by a pitch, Kyle Shockley drew a free pass to score a run and Brogan Burcher singled home two more.
Defiance hit a solo home run in the top of the second, but the Eagles answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice bunt by Michniak. In the fourth the Yellow Jackets scored four runs and added a pair of tallies in the sixth to close to within 8-7 before the navy and gold went quietly in the bottom of the sixth.
Disaster struck in the top of the seventh as Defiance cashed in nine times, belting out seven hits that included a two-run homer and a double as they nearly doubled their game total of 16 hits. They also benefitted from three Golden Eagles errors before the side was retired.
The Eagles managed to load the bases in the last of the seventh but could not score and saw their record fall to 5-13 on the season. On Friday, the Golden Eagles travel to Geneva College for a doubleheader.
Braydon Maine makes a backhand stab on the third baseline.....
Maine races to the third base bag to get the lead Yellow Jackets runner.....
And avoids the slding runner after getting the force out at third base.
(Photos by Rob Brindley)