By Bill Bray
A quick second inning two-run homer by Defiance’s Derek Turner was all the Bulldogs needed as they went on to a 5-0 win over the Wauseon Indians in a Division II district semifinal game Thursday at Archbold.
Ty Suntken took to the mound and gave up a rare homerun, when Turner belted a shot over the fence to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. The score was 3-0 in favor of Defiance when Dom Gentile’s sacrifice fly scored Garret Sierra.
The other two Bulldog runs came in the bottom of the third inning. Austin Hancock found a hole between third and short and reached base with a single to start the Bulldog third. Designated hitter Tyler Weaver laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Hancock to second. With Shay Smiddy at the plate, Suntken was called for a balk advancing Hancock to third. After striking Smiddy out, Suntken then faced Turner and walked him to put Bulldog runners on first and third. Sierra smacked a single to score Hancock and Turner advanced to second. The inning finally came to an end with Jimmy Bauer up for Defiance. On a great pinpoint throw from catcher Josh Kauffman to his brother JJ Kauffman at second, the tandem was able to tag out Turner before he got back to second base for the third and final out.
The Indians stranded one runner in each the fourth and fifth innings. Hancock was strong on the mound for Defiance. The Indians bats were silenced throughout the game for the most part. In the top of the sixth, the Indians caught a break when Axel Bueter reached first after a high throw was misplayed at the bag. But then Clay Tefft hit into a double play that cleared the bases again. JJ Kauffman cranked out a double to keep the inning alive. But the momentum shifted quickly again to the Bulldogs favor when Nate Suntken popped up to the Hancock ending the inning.
The game ended after three up, three down for the Indians in the top of the seventh inning.