DC baseball swept by Johnson to open new season

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The new baseball season for the Defiance Yellow Jackets opened with a Friday doubleheader followed by a single contest on Saturday, and all three games ended in defeat to the Johnson Ryals. Friday's games at Knoxville Catholic High School ended 13-5 and 13-4 in favor of the Royals. On Saturday, Johnson completed the three-game sweep with a 10-0 victory over Defiance. The Yellow Jackets start the season 0-3 while the Royals improved to 6-1 through the first two weekends of the year.

In Game 1 on Friday, the Yellow Jackets chipped away after falling behind 4-0. Jacob Hild and Anthony Silvera Jr. each recorded RBI hits during a two-run fourth to cut the lead in half. To lead off the fifth, Tyler Dehan put Defiance within one with a solo homer. However, Johnson put together a pair of big innings to put the game out of reach despite a two-run blast by Silvera in the sixth.

In Game 2, Johnson employed a seven-run fourth with single runs in the first three innings for a 13-4 win. Defiance was limited to four hits with two coming from freshman Kolten Fawbush. Game 3 on Saturday was a nine-inning game that was shorted to seven after Johnson claimed a 10-0 win by the run rule. DC again was limited to four hits and were struck out 11 times. 

Leaders over the weekend included Alex Rodriguez III and Jacob Hild with three hits each and also scored twice. Silvera's three RBIs led all Defiance hitters.

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets travel to Hoover, Ala. next weekend for a four-game series against the Grace College Lancers. DC and Grace will play doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.

-JACKETS-