PBR Spotlight Game: No. 10 Lima Bath (D-II) at No. 2 Defiance (D-II)

DEFIANCE, OH - In a battle of two top ten teams in Division II and Western Buckeye League Rivals, the No. 2 ranked Defiance Bulldogs defeated No. 10 ranked Lima Bath 4-0 behind solid pitching, good defense and clutch two-out hitting.

Defiance got the scoring going in the first as lead-off hitter Austin Hancock (Olney JC commit, pictured right) reached on an infield single. After a sacrifice bunt by Garrett Sierra, a strikeout and an error, Hancock scored on a two-out single to left by junior Tyler Weaver, to put Defiance on top 1-0.

The Bulldogs added two runs in the second inning off of Lima Bath starter Colin Gossard (unsigned senior). Junior Jimmy Bauer walked and sophomore Shay Smiddy beat out a slow chopper to short. A sacrifice bunt by junior Wes Detter and a strikeout brought to the plate Hancock with first base open.

Bath decides to pitch to the talented senior, who promptly greeted a Gossard two-strike offering to right-right for a line drive two-run single to put the Bulldogs on top 3-0.

Defiance tacked on an unearned run in the third as Sinclair CC commit Derek turned reached on an error and Weaver moved him along to third on a double to left-center. Bauer came to the plate and hit a ground ball off the glove of Bath second baseman Bronson Best, who made a good diving attempt while playing in. The Bulldogs scored one on the infield hit to go up 4-0.

Four runs was easily enough for Defiance starter, Hancock (six innings) and relief pitcher Derek Turner (one inning).

Despite just giving up three total hits, the duo needed to battle through the seven innings as Bath's lead-off hitter reached six times. The Wildcats also left runners in scoring position in five of the seven innings, but none came across to score as the Bulldogs earn a shutout and the 70th win in-a-row in the Western Buckeye League. A league which has produced some talented prospects and MLB players.

Hancock ended up going six innings allowing three hits and five walks while striking out five.

Bath's starter Gossard (pictured right) went four innings allowing two earned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two.

Defiance is back in action Saturday with a doubleheader at Fremont Ross with the Little Giants and Tiffin Columbian. Bath is home to face No. 6 St. Henry (D-III) for two games on the same day and PBR will be in Lima.

Notable performances in the game:

• Austin Hancock, went six innings on the mound allowing three hits and five walks while striking out five and sitting 84-85 with the fastball. At the plate, Hancock went 2-for-4 with two singles and two RBIs.
• Derek Turner, came in for the 7th inning, allowing just one hit and educing a double play, while sitting 83-85.
• Tyler Weaver, went 2-for-3 with a single, double and an RBI.
• Jimmy Bauer, went 2-for-2 with two singles, a walk and RBI.
• Jacob Green,1-for-2 with a single and HBP.
• Colin Gossard, went four innings on the mound allowing two ER on seven hits and a walk while striking out two. Go check out his scouting report which will be posted here.
• Taren Sullivan (Findlay University basketball commit), pitched just 1/3 of an inning, but threw gas, sitting 87-89 in warm-ups and on his one pitch he hit 87 in the game. Also threw a runner out a home from right field on an absolute laser.

Linescore

Lima Bath 000 000 0 - 0 3 3

Defiance 121 000 x - 4 8 1

Records: Defiance 7-1 (2-0 WBL), Bath 8-2 (2-2 WBL).

Winning pitcher: Austin Hancock (6 innings, 0 runs, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts, 5 walks). Other: Derek Turner.

Losing pitcher: Colin Gossard (4 innings, 4 runs, 7 hits, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk). Others: Luke Niebel, Taren Sullivan.

Leading hitters: (Defiance) - Austin Hancock 2 singles; Tyler Weaver single, double; Jimmy Bauer 2 singles.

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