FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Yellow Jacket men's baseball team faced Lakeland College in the midst of its play at the Gene Cusic Classic in Florida. The Purple and Gold fell by a score of 3-2 to the Muskies, as a Lakeland late-inning rally downed the Jackets.

The Jackets started the game by scoring in the top of the first inning to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. Freshman Ryan Kohlhofer singled to get the DC offense started. The freshman scored later in the inning off a double steal.

The Jackets held onto the 1-0 lead for six innings, as Defiance received a quality start from Aaron Patterson, his first-career start. Patterson finished the game with a line of seven innings pitched, giving up two runs, six hits and three walks while striking out two Muskie batters.

The Purple and Gold tacked on another run in the seventh to increase the lead to 2-0 off Aaron Helland's bases loaded walk.

Lakeland battled back to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning and plated another run in the eighth to grab its first lead of the game. The Muskie pitching staff shut down the DC bats in the top of the ninth to steal a one-run victory.

The Yellow Jacket offense was only able to muster six hits on the day, two of which came off Kohlhofer's bat.

The loss drops DC's record to 4-3, as the team regroups for its final two games of its spring break trip. The Jackets take on Salem State on Friday for a doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.