ST. HENRY -- In their first trip to the Junior ACME State Tournament under ninth-year head coach Jeff Oberlin, Defiance made it count, claiming a 3-1 victory over Archbold to clinch the tournament championship.
"It is a great feeling," said Oberlin of the tournament title. "Our kids worked hard all season long, we got a lot better from the beginning until now. At the beginning of the year, we were making a lot of errors ... our pitchers were walking a lot of guys, but they've improved so much over this season."
Holding Archbold to just three singles in the title bout, Defiance (20-4) plated runs in the first, second and fifth innings to hold off the Blue Streaks and claim the program's first Jr. ACME title.
Mark Thomas picked up the victory, scattering two hits and allowing one run in 3 2/3 innings pitched while striking out three. Levi Robarge and Charlie Gordon - who threw a no-hitter in Defiance's semifinal win - came on for relief to help propel Defiance to victory.
"I can't say enough about the Archbold kids," lauded Oberlin. "They've got a great program, Coach (Kirk) Weldy is a great guy and we had a great time playing against them. They're a young team and they're going to be a force to be reckoned with."
Leading Defiance from the plate was Robarge, who slapped a pair of singles while Jacob Jiminez, Bryce Borton and Jacob Tettenhorst each chipped in a double. Robarge drew praise from his head coach as a catalyst in the Defiance lineup.
"Levi Robarge, what a great hitting performance as our leadoff guy," said Oberlin. "I believe he had hits in six of his last eight at-bats, which is just incredible.
"Jacob Jimenez has been our leader all season long and I can't say enough about how (catcher Jordan) Hutcheson did behind the plate with our pitchers. He called the pitches for the entire tournament."
Perhaps even more notable than the title-game performance was the outing by hurler Charlie Gordon, who no-hit Lima Bath in a 10-0 victory to propel Defiance to the championship game.
Gordon, the son of Defiance College president Mark Gordon, struck out seven batters and allowed just two walks in the dominant five-inning performance.
"It really is a great feeling to see that," said Oberlin of his pitchers' outing. "Bath beat us earlier in the year with the same pitcher 7-1 so it's really nice to come back and beat them.
"Charlie's mom and dad are in Europe right now but we were texting them and keeping them updated and I'm sure they're so excited right now. He's a great kid from a great family and I feel like he really deserved a game like this."
Gordon backed up his no-hitter with three singles of his own while Borton rapped a bases-loaded three-run triple in the fourth inning to help secure the victory. Robarge and Jimenez chipped two singles of their own.
The no-hitter came with a pair of acrobatic shoestring catches by Jacob Elders in the fourth inning and a diving play by Kasey Williams in the fifth to preserve the accomplishment.
"I have to give a lot of credit to our coaching staff," said Oberlin on the tournament title. "Jim Siler did a remarkable job with our pitchers, guys like Taylor Cooper and Torrance Hicks did a great job out there on the bases. (Defiance High School) Coach (Tom) Held has had a great tradition for Defiance over the years, I'm just glad to help keep up such a strong tradition. I really do hope it's the first of many."
Defiance earned a strong win of their own in the tournament's first round on Friday, holding off a late rally by Northmont to win 7-2. Santiago Ramirez fanned eight in six innings of work while Hutcheson backed him up with a single and triple.
Linescores
Archbold 000 100 0 - 1 3 3
Defiance 110 010 x - 3 6 1
Records: Defiance 20-4.
Winning pitcher: Mark Thomas (3 2/3 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts, 4 walks). Others: Levi Robarge, Charlie Gordon.
Losing pitcher: Brandon Miller. Other: Eli Miller.
Leading hitters: (Defiance) - Levi Robarge 2 singles; Jacob Jiminez double; Bryce Borton double; Jacob Tettenhorst double.
Lima Bath 000 00 - 0 0 0
Defiance 330 4x - 10 9 2
Records: Defiance 19-4.
Winning pitcher: Charlie Gordon (5 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks).
Losing pitcher: Sullivan. Other: Gross.
Leading hitters: (Defiance) - Charlie Gordon 3 singles; Levi Robarge 2 singles; Jacob Jimenez 2 singles; Bryce Borton triple, 3 RBIs.
Northmont 000 000 2 - 2
Defiance 000 520 x - 7
Records: Defiance 18-4, Northmont 16-3.
Winning pitcher: Santiago Ramirez (6 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 8 strikeouts, 6 walks). Other: Levi Robarge.
Losing pitcher: Tyler. Others: Bradsell, Holbert.
Leading hitters: (Defiance) - Jordan Hutcheson single, triple.