April 24 -- Jackets split with Panthers, maintain
one-game lead

--Hanover, Ind. -- Needing to preserve their one-game lead for the final HCAC Tournament spot, Defiance College split with Hanover, 1-0, 2-4, in Hanover, Indiana on Saturday afternoon.

Tyler Stork continued his lights-out pitching of late with a shut-out win in game one. Stork scattered four hits and striking-out two in 6.1 innings of work while senior Eric Sprague came in to get the save in the seventh, striking-out the only two batters he faced.

Mike Hill went 3-for-3 at the plate in game one, while Ryan Leininger drove in Lenny Koesters for the only run of the game in the top of the third. After singling to lead off the inning, Koesters advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by James Yenser, took third on a wild pitch and then scored on a Leininger single.

In game two, Sprague gave-up four runs on 10 hits, while striking-out two and walking one. James Yenser and Richard Trick both drove in runs, scoring Tony Ebersole and Hill. Hill went a combined 5-for-6 on the day with a run.

Sunday may tell the fate of the 2004 Jackets as they must maintain their lead in the standings when they face the Panthers for the final time at 1:00 p.m.

e-mail Head Coach Chad Donsbach: cdonsbach@defiance.edu