Someday, Defiance's win streak in the Western Buckeye League is going to go by the wayside. Friday afternoon at Defiance's Booster Field was not that day.
The Bulldogs put the finishing touches on another perfect 9-0 season in WBL play, running their streak to 59 consecutive games after slipping past Wapakoneta, 3-2.
The game, which started back on April 20 and was postponed due to rain, was picked up in the top of the second inning with the score knotted at 2-2. Friday's six innings turned to be a pitching duel between Defiance junior righty Rob Zeigler, and Wapak sophomore righty Chace Culver, won by Zeigler.
Defiance mentor Tom Held was certainly proud of Zeigler's performance on the hill.
"This is the best Robbie has thrown all year ... I really believe he became a man today," Held said about Zeigler, who improved to 8-1. "He was focused from the first pitch, he threw his best game of the season.
One big hit turned out to be the difference.
"That what happens in the game of baseball ... it's all about taking advantage of any opportunity that you have," stated Wapakoneta coach Jason Brandt. "Good teams like Defiance are going to do that and they've done that every time we've played them. Today they got the big key hit when they needed to and we didn't."
The "key hit" for Defiance (26-1, ranked No. 1 in the state in Division II) came off the bat of Zeigler in the bottom of the third inning.
Culver hit Anthony Kidston to lead off the frame, before Kidston took matters into his own hands ... or legs. Kidston quickly moved to second with his 25th stolen base, before swiping third without a throw with one out in the books for his 26th theft.
In stepped Zeigler, who deposited a 2-0 fastball from Culver over the head of center fielder Johnny Crawford for a stand-up double. Kidston scored easily from third with what proved to be the winning run.
"He threw me a couple of off-speed pitches, then he came back with a fastball that was up in a little bit," said Zeigler, who finished with a single and double in the win, to go along with allowing just one hit and three walks with eight strikeouts. "I was able to drive it, I saw it was pretty deep and that allowed the run to score."
Culver made sure he kept Wapakoneta (19-5, 6-3 WBL) in the game, as the home team stranded a pair of baserunners in both the fourth and six innings. Zeigler, meanwhile, made sure his team kept the lead, getting out of jams in the sixth and seventh frames.
With two outs in the sixth, Crawford walked on four pitches, before Chandler Kaeck laced a hard grounder past Kidston at first. Crawford raced to third to put runners on the corners for the Redskins. Brandon Schrieber, who drove in the first two runs back on April 20, went down swinging on three straight curveballs to end that threat, however.
In the seventh, a leadoff walk to Brandon Miller gave Wapak hope, but the inability to bunt came back to haunt the visitors. Marshall Gerlach attempted to sacrifice, but the bunt was popped up toward third. On the play, it appeared that DHS third baseman Dom Gentile had overrun the ball, be he dove backward to snag it for the first out.
Dom Campos then stepped in and hit the ball hard, but his liner was right at shortstop Jacob Moore was snagged it, and fired to first to double-up Miller and end the game.
"I just told our kids that we're going to have those same types of opportunities coming up and that we have to be ready to execute when we have the chance," said Brandt. "This was a good learning lesson today, we didn't end up on the side of the scoreboard we wanted to be on, but there's a reason why Defiance is ranked No. 1 in the state. They do all the little things right."
Moore, a senior, was pleased to be a part of not only ending the game, but keeping the WBL win streak alive.
"That was a great play by Dom in the seventh, to overrun it and still make the catch ... if he doesn't catch it they have first and second with nobody out," Moore said. "The line drive at me, after I caught it I saw the dust kick up, so I figured just throw it over there and see if we could get him. It felt good to get those outs.
"We don't ever talk about the streak, but every time we win a WBL game it feels great," added Moore. "It's pretty cool, we wanted to keep it going and I'm glad to be a part of it."
Held knew after the win his team had won a great baseball game.
"That was two good teams, with two good pitchers that are going to be back next year, there were good defensive plays on both sides, great weather ... what else can you ask for?" asked the DHS mentor. "I'm just proud of our guys, they've played solid all year long and it was good to see us get a win in a one-run game."
Defiance returns to action on Monday for Senior Day at Booster Field when it will host Wauseon in its regular season finale at 5 p.m.
Linescore
Wapakoneta 200 000 0 - 2 2 2
Defiance 201 000 x - 3 7 1
Records: Defiance 26-1 (9-0 WBL), Wapakoneta 19-5 (6-3 WBL).
Winning pitcher: Rob Zeigler (6 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 8 strikeouts, 3 walks). Other: Anthony Kidston.
Losing pitcher: Chace Culver (7 innings, 3 runs, 7 hits, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk).
Leading hitters: (Wapakoneta, 2 hits). (Defiance, 3 hits) - Joe Gentile double; Rob Zeigler single, double.