The Bruins struggled from the plate tonight and couldn't cash in on chances which led to two losses tonight against the Defiance College Yellow Jackets. The score of game one was 5-3 followed by a 6-1 score of game two.
"We did not hit at all today which never helps," Head Coach Kyle Morrison said. "We had runners in scoring position in both games but then just couldn't hit them in. You see other teams go out there and execute with runners on base and we still haven't been able to do that."
Game one was a game of homeruns making the difference. Jason Quillin started on the mound for the Bruins and pitched well, but in the second inning, the Yellow Jackets were able to get a few base hits in a row to load the bases. The next batter hit a grand slam to put Defiance up 4-0 early. The Bruins were able to get a couple runs back in the third inning, though. Henry Rumble cranked a solo homerun followed by sacrifice-fly by David Henry that scored Cody Kirkpatrick. With the score now at 4-2, the Bruins had it within reach. To begin the fifth inning, however, the Yellow Jackets hit another homerun to get back up 5-2. The homeruns were not done because Angelo Gomez hit a solo shot in the sixth inning to make the score 5-3, but that was as close as the Bruins could get.
The two homeruns were really the only mark on a well-pitched game by Jason Quillin. He struck out three and walked none in his four innings pitched. Noah Ezell pitched in relief and threw three scoreless innings allowing only one hit.
In game two, the Bruins just didn't have a lot of energy. They scored in the first inning when Evan Johnson hit in Henry Rumble, but that ended up being the only run scored for the Bruins in the game. The Bruins were held to six total hits and only two from from the second to the sixth inning. The Yellow Jackets capitalized with a three runs in the second inning, two in the third inning, and one in the seventh.
Sterling Jones started on the bump and pitched three innings allowing five runs. Ryan Pierce and Mack Ritter pitched three scoreless innings total in relief. Jacob Highsmith allowed the run in the seventh before Gabe Swarms pitched a scoreless and hitless inning.
"We have to get more disciplined," Coach Morrison said. "We have to start doing every little thing the right way, and hopefully that will lead to us being more aggressive with the sticks."
The Bruins now have a few days recuperate before hosting region opponent Southeastern Baptist College for a weekend series starting on Friday at 6:00 p.m. The game times for the double-header on Saturday are 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Conestee Park.
