TOLEDO -- Defiance used a big five-run fifth inning to rally past Toledo Whitmer 7-2 on Thursday.

The Bulldogs improved to 9-1 on the season while dropping Whitmer to 7-6.

Trailing 2-0, Nic Vittorio led off the DHS fifth with a double and Joe Keween followed with a triple to right.

A one-out double steal starting with Austin Hancock evened the score with Keween crossing home and, after Hancock moved to third on a wild pitch, gave the Bulldogs the lead when Jacob Moore executed a two-strike squeeze bunt. Defiance added two more runs in the frame, highlighted by a RBI single from Joe Gentile.

"The Melchert kid was really throwing well for Whitmer," DHS coach Tom Held said. "He had good off-speed and was dominating our hitters. Nic and Joe got things started. Along with Joe Gentile, they've been our leaders and we asked them to step it up, we asked for a little more enthusiasm."

Rob Zeigler went the distance to pick up the win for DHS, fanning nine and walking three while allowing five hits and a pair of third-inning runs.

"Robbie did not have his good stuff the first three innings but in the fourth he really started competing on the mound and got after hitters," noted Held. "He retired 12 of his last 13 and was throwing harder in the sixth and seventh than earlier in the game."

DHS returns to action Saturday with a 10:30 a.m. game against Fremont Ross at Tiffin University. Clyde and Tiffin Columbian will play at TC High School with the two winners meeting at 1 p.m. at the high school and the two losers at the college.

Linescore

Defiance 000 051 1 - 7 10 1

Whitmer 002 000 0 - 2 5 3

Records: Defiance 9-1, Whitmer 7-6.

Winning pitcher: Robert Zeigler (7 innings, 2 runs, 5 hits, 9 strikeouts, 3 walks).

Losing pitcher: Blake Melchert (52/3 innings, 6 runs, 8 hits, 10 strikeouts, 1 walk). Other: Rea.

Leading hitters: (Defiance, 10 hits) - Anthony Kidston single, triple; Joe Gentile single, double; Nic Vittorio double; Joe Keween single, triple. (Whitmer, 5 hits) - Rea single, double.