Hanover at Defiance: Game One / Game Two

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The 2007 season came to a close for Defiance with a doubleheader split against Hanover on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets edged out a 2-1 win in the opener before suffering a 5-1 setback in the second game.

Defiance dodged multiple bullets in the opening two frames as Hanover put eight men on base but could only manage to push one run across. The Panthers would only see three men reach base from the third inning on, as Dustin Zizelman entered to close out the second inning and tossed five more scoreless frames.

The Jackets did just enough with the sticks to come away with the win as Lenny Koesters led off the bottom of the first by being hit and stole second. Jeremy Hawkins then tied the game with a run-scoring single.

The game remained tied at 1-1 until the fourth inning when David Jackson roped a double through the wind and into the left-center field gap. Mike Hill bunted Jackson to third and a Phil Kosier single gave DC the 2-1 lead.

Zizelman made the lead stand, going 5.1 innings in relief and allowing no runs on just two base hits. Zizelman was credited with his fourth win of the season.

Hanover threatened early and often once again in the second game, but this time came away with a 5-0 lead after the top of the second inning. The Panthers were aided by three DC errors in the first two frames which led to four unearned tallies.

Defiance rapped out nine hits in the nightcap, but could only manage one unearned run as Hill reached on an error before stealing second and scoring on a Kosier single.

Both starting pitchers settled in from that point on and neither side dented the scoreboard over the final seven innings as Hanover took the 5-1 win.

Koesters, Jackson, Kosier and Tim Pitro all had two hits and LeTroy Harris picked up DC’s ninth safety.

Nick Picciano went the distance and yielded five runs on eight hits. The sophomore hurler retired seven Panthers on strikes and only gave up one earned run.

The games marked the final time that Koesters, Hawkins, Hill and Kosier would take the field in a Defiance College uniform. All four seniors were honored after the conclusion of the second game.

Defiance ends the 2007 season with a 12-25 record while going 7-15 in 22 Heartland Conference games.