PEMBERVILLE -- Solid pitching, timely hitting and a big inning were the key ingredients for Defiance sweeping Napoleon and Eastwood during baseball twinbill action on Saturday at Eastwood.
Behind a 1-hit pitching performance by Anthony Kidston and two home runs by Rob Zeigler, the Bulldogs (4-0) defeated Napoleon 2-0 in the opener. In the nightcap, a six-run first inning set the tone in Defiance's 12-3 victory over the Eagles.
In the opener, Kidston improved to 2-0 on the young season. The senior righty, coming off an opening-day no-hitter against Delta, gave up just an infield single, struck out 16 and walked none in the 2-0 victory over the Wildcats.
"That was one of the most dominating performances I've seen from any pitcher," stated Defiance mentor Tom Held. "Anthony faced only 22 batters, and on the infield single, the ball went off Dom Gentile's glove as he was moving to his left to make the play. Anthony was ahead of hitters all day long ... it was a tremendous performance."
Zeigler gave Defiance a 1-0 lead on a homer to straight-away center in the fourth inning, before blasting a home run to left-center in the top of the seventh to give the Bulldogs the 2-0 cushion.
"Both of Robbie's home runs, he just crushed them," said Held. "The home run in the seventh was a big insurance run. Brian Flowers pitched very well for Napoleon today, he kept us off-balance, Robbie just had his number on those two pitches. It was a very well played high school baseball game."
In the nightcap, Defiance scored 12 runs on 12 hits, while also taking advantage of four Eastwood errors. Three of those errors came in the top of the first when Defiance pushed six runs across to put the Eagles in a big hole.
Jacob Moore singled to start the game, before moving to third on a Joe Keween double. A single by Kidston scored Moore and gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. With Keween on third, Kidston stole second. Following an out, Zeigler hit into a 1-4-3 out, but Keween scored and Kidston advanced to third.
Shea Murray followed with a single that scored Kidston to push the visitor's advantage to 3-0. Murray stole second, before Nic Vittorio was hit by a pitch, bringing Austin Hancock to the plate. The sophomore singled to left, bringing a throw home to try and cut down Murray. The throw was high, however, and with Vittorio moving on the play, the throw to third sailed into left, allowing Vittorio to score the fifth run of the inning and Hancock to reach third. Hancock scored the final run after Dom Gentile walked, took off for second and the throw from the Eastwood catcher sailed into center field.
"After not swinging the bats well in the first game thanks to Flowers, we jumped on Eastwood early and put some hits together," said Held about the offensive explosion in the first inning against the Eagles. "Our guys stayed back on the ball and broke it open early."
Tyler Batt earned the win for Defiance, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out five and walking one in six innings of work.
"After getting the early lead, all Tyler had to do was go out and throw strikes and he did," Held said. "He pitched very well against an Eastwood team that went to regionals last year and has eight of nine starters back. It was really good to see us play well and beat two quality teams today."
Joe Gentile finished with three singles to pace the Bulldogs, Murray had two singles and Keween a double.
Defiance returns to action on Monday when it hits the road to take on Paulding.
Linescores
Defiance 000 100 1 - 2 6 0
Napoleon 000 000 0 - 0 1 0
Winning pitcher: Anthony Kidston (7 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 16 strikeouts, 0 walks).
Losing pitcher: Brian Flowers (7 innings, 2 runs, 6 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk).
Leading hitters: (Defiance, 6 hits) - Rob Zeigler 2 home runs, 2 RBI. (Napoleon, 1 hit).
Defiance 604 110 0 - 12 12 3
Eastwood 003 000 0 - 3 3 4
Winning pitcher: Tyler Batt (6 innings, 3 runs, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk). Other: Weston Rivers.
Losing pitcher: Gotfield (2 2/3 innings, 8 runs, 9 hits, 1 strikeout, 2 walks). Other: Schmeltz, Maynard.
Leading hitters: (Defiance, 12 hits) - Joe Keween double; Joe Gentile 3 singles; Shea Murray 2 singles. (Eastwood, 3 hits) - Vespi double; Mang double.