D2 DISTRICT SEMIFINAL … Bryan’s Carter Dominique snags the throw as Defiance’s Christian Commisso steals second base. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Daniel Cooley
ARCHBOLD (MAY 25, 2023) – Bryan hurler Dylan Dominique pitched well, allowing just three hits.
However, Defiance’s Aidan Kiessling was even better, allowing just one hit, as Defiance topped Bryan, 3-0.
Defiance (25-4) will play Toledo Central Catholic in the district finals at Archbold on Saturday.
“Dylan came out and competed, like he has all year for us, but we gave Defiance a couple of opportunities (off errors) and they took advantage,” said Bryan coach Corey Walker.
“Obviously, we would have liked to advance further, but we just couldn’t get the big hit.”
After a scoreless first inning, Defiance had a chance to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Alex Chagoyan reached on a walk and moved to second base on a groundout.
Torin Long then singled to left field, but Chagoyan was thrown out at home on Cole Uran’s perfect throw to home plate.
Bryan put a runner on second base in the top of the third inning on a walk and a stolen base. But two consecutive strikeouts, followed by a ground out to the shortstop, ended the scoring chance.
Defiance then took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, on Kiessling’s RBI single.
Later, Defiance scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, without the benefit of a hit. Christian Commisso reached on an error and then stole second base. He then scored on a Bryan throwing error.
Brezlen Zipfel reached second base on a throwing error and then stole third base. From there, he scored on Tyler Frederick’s RBI groundout.
Bryan had a chance to cut into the 3-0 Defiance lead in the top of the sixth inning. Noah Huard reached second base on an error with two outs, but a groundout to the third baseman ended the threat.
Bryan then went down in order in the top of the seventh inning, on a fly out to right field, a strikeout and a pop out to the first baseman.
Bryan was held hitless until Jase Kepler’s bloop single in the top of the sixth inning. But Kepler was eliminated on a groundout to the third baseman, who threw to second base to force out Kepler.
For Defiance, Kiessling allowed just one hit, while striking out eight and walking two.
“My fastball and changeup were working well today and then I would throw in an occasional curve ball to keep them off balance,” Kiessling said.
“I knew I had a no-hitter going, but it ended on kind of a lucky bloop single, but that’s baseball. Overall, I’m happy with the way I pitched, and it was a good outcome for us.”
BRYAN 000 000 0 – 0 1 3
DEFIANCE 001 020 x – 3 3 3
Records: Defiance 25-4, Bryan 12-14
WINNING PITCHER: Kiessling (7 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 8 strikeouts, 2 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: D. Dominique (6 innings, 3 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Bryan) – 1 single; (Defiance) – 3 singles
Dan can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com