FORT MYERS, Fla. – Defiance College took a 5-3 lead into the top of the ninth inning on Wednesday against Elms College, before the Blazers exploded for eight runs in the final frame and handed the Jackets a heartbreaking, 11-5, defeat at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida.

DC grabbed a 2-1 lead after two innings and rallied for two runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh to claim the 5-3 advantage. The lead would hold into the top of the ninth, before Elms (4-2) mounted its extended rally.

The Blazers (4-2) tied the game on a two-run triple with one out in their final at bat and then tacked on six more runs to take control of the game. The Jackets could not answer the eight-run inning, placing their leadoff man on in the bottom of the ninth, before Elms sealed the comeback victory with three-straight outs to end the contest.

Defiance (0-3) will take Wednesday off, before taking on Baruch on Thursday at 1:00 pm in Fort Myers, Florida.