COLDWATER -- Victory is always the sweetest reward for hard work.
For Defiance, this particular victory was twice as nice.
In a wild contest that featured 28 combined runs, 30 hits and eight errors, Defiance prevailed to claim their second straight ACME state championship and ninth in program history, defeating host Coldwater at Memorial Park on Saturday, 17-11.
The Bulldogs (22-6) gave up four runs in the bottom of the first inning, before roaring back to score 15 consecutive runs in the next four innings. Coldwater (27-6), however, did not bow to the pressure of facing a Bulldog squad defending their 2012 title and a spring OHSAA title.
The Cavaliers, down to their last two outs, scored seven in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 15-11 and prevented run-rule elimination.
"That wasn't the way we wanted to start whatsoever," said an elated and somewhat relieved Defiance head coach Bryn Lehman. "The guys did a tremendous job bouncing back, just as they've done all summer and we were fortunate enough to get back in the game."
With the win, Lehman claims his second ACME tournament championship in as many years at the helm of the Bulldog program.
"I knew they were going to come out with a lot of energy and that they were going to give a big push at the end," continued Lehman of the Cavaliers, who took the hard road to the finals after losing their initial game of the tournament and had to navigate the entire loser's bracket to make it to the finals.
"We got off to a fantastic start," said Coldwater mentor Tom Brunswick. "We were feeling pretty good about ourselves and we knew to play with a team the caliber of Defiance that we would have to come out with positive energy."
Positively they did, as Cavalier leadoff hitter Grant Muhlenkamp drilled a Shay Smiddy offering over the right field fence to give Coldwater a 1-0 lead early. After a pair of singles, designated hitter Malave Bettinger doubled to left field and catcher Blake Spangler smacked a grounder, each scoring a run to give the orange-and-black an early advantage.
After weathering the storm of a five-hit Coldwater offensive attack in the first, DHS came back swinging in the top half of the second.
After consecutive four-pitch walks from Coldwater starter Greg Gilliland and a bobbled fielding attempt on a Jimmy Bauer bunt, right fielder Adam Schaffer drilled a single towards shortstop Adam Klosterman. The senior mishandled the bouncing ball, allowing two runs to score, which opened the floodgataes for the Bulldogs.
Austin Hancock, who would be named Tournament MVP, smacked a single to right to drive in Schaffer. Two batters and a pitching change later, Dom Gentile drove in two more with an RBI single to left, giving Defiance the lead back, 5-4.
"Our guys did a tremendous job of weathering that run and taking care of business," explained Lehman.
Defiance wouldn't be done there, however. An RBI triple from Schaffer and another run scored on a Klosterman error gave Defiance two more runs in the third, stretching their lead to 7-4.
DHS led the fourth off with yet another rally at the plate, rapping three straight doubles and a single, scoring a pair of runs. After a Jacob Green strikeout, Hancock would yet again step up big for Defiance, rapping a two-run single to center to expand the lead to 11-4.
Four more runs would be plated in the fifth frame on the Bulldog ledger, as Gentile tripled to lead off the frame to propel an ining where Defiance would churn out four more hits, including a two-run double from Schaffer and an RBI single from Wes Detter to make it a seemingly insurmountable 15-4 ballgame.
But that was where Coldwater would make their stand.
A Brody Hoying leadoff single and a Mitch Heyne double set the table for pinch hitter Jason Bills, who plated two runs with a double that chased Smiddy from the game. Defiance would commit three errors in the frame, including a Hancock throw that went over catcher Gage Cordray's head to cut the Defiance lead to 15-9. A Heyne flyout would finally end the frame and stop the bleeding as Hancock came on to relieve Bulldog hurler Ty Gutierrez.
"They're good kids, they've been a lot of fun to coach," said Brunswick of his resilient squad. "We lost to a really solid program today. Losing the first game (3-2 to Shawnee) was tough and having to go the long way, but we wanted to play the last day and we were able to do that."
Hancock capped off an MVP-winning state tournament run in style in the last two innings, striking out four Cavs in consecutive 1-2-3 frames to clinch the ninth ACME title in program history and the fifth since 2006.
"I've been in a lot of these games since little league and everything, but this was a crazy way to go out," said the senior-to-be. "Coach told me after the last game (a 6-0 win over Shawnee) that I should be ready in case we got into some trouble and that's what happened.
"I just wanted to be in there and be there for those last three outs," continued Hancock, who also had a four-hit day from the plate, driving in three runs.
In terms of success, the current run that Defiance is on is hard to top, with three combined championships since last summer's ACME crown and a 94-12 combined record in that span. Their head coach was very cognizant of that fact.
"It is pretty impressive," concluded Lehman. "I think the guys are really taking pride in how well they've been performing. They're starting to understand how much the momentum can affect the spring season and I think they're excited to continue this run and performing the way they have."
Defiance 052 441 1 -- 17 18 3
Coldwater 400 070 0 -- 11 12 5
Records: Defiance 22-6, Coldwater 27-6.
Winning Pitcher: Austin Hancock (2 2/3 innings, 2 runs, 2 hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks). Others: Shay Smiddy, Ty Gutierrez.
Losing Pitcher: Grant Muhlenkamp (2 2/3 innings, 8 runs, 10 hits, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk). Others: Greg Gilliland, Brandon Kunk, Aaron Harlamert.
Leading hitters: (Defiance, 18 hits) - Austin Hancock 4 singles, 3 RBI; Adam Schaffer 2 doubles, triple, 6 RBI; Jimmy Bauer 2 singles, double; Dom Gentile single, triple, 3 RBI; Derek Turner single, double; Wes Detter 2 singles. (Coldwater, 12 hits) - Brody Hoying 3 singles; Mitch Heyne single, double; Grant Muhlenkamp home run; Malave Bettinger double; Jason Bills double.