DEFIANCE, Ohio – DC's Jake Taylor allowed just one earned run in eight efficient innings and Andy Habecker delivered a pair of run-scoring singles on Sunday, as the Yellow Jackets handled Anderson by a 4-2 margin in the series finale at Craig A. Rutter Field.
Taylor allowed one unearned tally in the top of the third inning for the first score of the day for either side and then put zeroes on the board until allowing a leadoff solo home run in the top of the eighth. The junior righty settled back down to complete the inning and ended the afternoon, needing only 98 pitches to get through eight frames. Taylor (3-3) picked up the win by holding AU to six hits and one earned run, while striking out three Ravens.
Alex Schomaeker notched his fourth save of the year, tying him for the third-highest, single-season total in Defiance history. The junior southpaw, pitched around a pair of ninth inning walks to preserve the 4-2 victory for the Jackets.
Habecker provided the offense on the afternoon, with two-out hits in the fourth and six innings. The first single came after Chris Donese opened the frame with a bunt single and moved to second base, after AU mishandled Bryn Lehman's sacrifice but in the next at bat. A wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position, allowing Donese to score on a sacrifice fly from Brad Kremer and Habecker to drive home Lehman for the 2-1 lead.
A one-out single from Lehman started DC's rally in the sixth, and Kremer put runners in scoring position with a two-out double to right field. Habecker then delivered the eventual game-winning knock, by bouncing a two-run single up the middle to push the spread to 4-1 in favor of the Purple and Gold.
Taylor and Schomaeker made the lead hold up, pitching around three Anderson (22-11, 14-4 HCAC) hits and a pair of walks in the final three innings to hold off the Ravens and secure the 4-2 win.
Lehman and Habecker ended the day by combining for four hits, two runs and three RBI, while Kremer went 1-3 with a double, one run and one RBI.
Defiance (10-20, 3-13 HCAC) will continue its conference schedule on Tuesday, with a 4:15 pm start time at Manchester (18-14, 10-7 HCAC).