VW, Defiance split doubleheader

Van Wert independent sports

DEFIANCE — Van Wert was shut out in the first game of Tuesday’s ACME doubleheader, then came back to defeat the Bulldogs in the nightcap.

Defiance 6 Van Wert 0

Van Wert committed three errors and was held to just one hit – a single by Jalen McCracken in a 6-0 loss.

Defiance scored a pair of runs in the second inning, two more in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Owen Treece pitched all six innings and took the hard luck loss, allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits, while striking out three and walking five.

Van Wert 7 Defiance 6

The Cougars shook off the opening game loss with a 7-6 victory over Defiance.

Lennon Bartley stole home in the first inning, then Owen Treece knocked in Jalen McCracken with an RBI single.

The Bulldogs countered with a run in the bottom of the first, but Bartley’s RBI single in the second scored Jacob Place and extended Van Wert’s lead to 3-1.

Defiance tied the game 3-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, but the Cougars answered with two runs in the top of the fourth – Levi Newell hit a single that plated Levi Eddins, then McCracken tripled to center field, scoring Newell.

Defiance scored a run in the bottom of the fourth, then Treece crossed home plate in the top of the fifth to extend Van Wert’s lead to 6-4.

The Bulldogs trimmed the lead to one with a run in the bottom of the sixth before Eddins hit a seventh inning fly ball that plated Treece. Defiance scored a run in the bottom of the seventh and had the winning run at the plate, but Haden Maples struck out the final two batters to preserve the win.

Maples pitched all seven innings and struck out six while walking four, and Bartley, McCracken and Treece each had two hits for the Cougars.

Van Wert (5-3) will play at Delphos Jefferson today.