GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Baseball welcomed Defiance in a makeup game from yesterday and came away with a split against the Yellow Jackets. Pitching shined in game one for the Golden Eagles, holding them to two runs in a 6-2 victory. In game two, bad defense burdened the Golden Eagles on their way to a 10-2 loss. Baseball is now 3-25 (3-9) on the year as they travel to Michigan Dearborn tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader.
 
Game One Recap: Cornerstone – 6 Defiance – 2

• Defiance would load the bases with no outs to open the top of the first, but Steve Hoeksema would limit the Yellow Jackets to just one run thanks to a sac fly.
• The Golden Eagles stranded the runner at second in the bottom of the second as Defiance continued to lead 1-0.
• Defiance used a wind aided solo homerun to extend their lead 2-0 in the top of the third over Cornerstone.
• Cornerstone would add one right back in the bottom of the third thanks to a Yellow Jacket error to make it 2-1. Drew Goodman would come through with the big hit in the inning as his double down the left field line would make it a 3-2 Cornerstone lead.
• Michael Ruiz would come through with an RBI single into left field to make it a 4-2 game in favor of the Golden Eagles. Matthew Kindley would keep the inning going with a double into right center to make it 6-2 Cornerstone.
• Brody Nelson has worked two scoreless innings to keep the Golden Eagles ahead 6-2 after the sixth inning.
• Cornerstone wins game one 6-2 behind strong pitching from Steve Hoeksema and Brody Nelson.

 
Game Two Recap: Defiance – 10 Cornerstone – 2

• Defiance loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first and would score one on a walk as Mason Leckrone would limit the damage.
• Cornerstone got on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to a Jack Gagliardi single into center to tie the game at one after the second inning.
• Defiance once again loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the third and would later take the lead on a walk. A couple batters later, the Yellow Jackets would hit a single up the middle to extend their lead 4-1 over Cornerstone.
• After an error by the Golden Eagles loaded the bases, Defiance would scratch home a run on a wild pitch to make it 5-1 after the top of the fifth.
• The Golden Eagles bats have not had anything going since the second inning as they go down in order in the bottom of the fifth.
• Matthew Kindley opened the sixth inning with a triple and would come home on a Grant DeRose sac fly to make it a 5-2 game.
• A double from the Yellow Jackets made it a 6-2 game as they continued to threaten in the seventh. A wild pitch, a walk, and an error saw Defiance score three more runs in the inning as they now lead 9-2 over Cornerstone.
• After another Golden Eagle error, Defiance would score another to make it 10-2 after the top of the eighth.
• The Golden Eagles had one last chance to get anything going but were unable too as they fell 10-2 in game two.

 
By the Numbers:
7 – Steve Hoeksema and Brody Nelson combined for seven innings of two-run ball in the game one win
4 – The Golden Eagles committed four errors in the game two loss
2 – Drew Goodman and Matthew Kindley led the offense with two runs batted in
 
What's Next?
Baseball will hit the road to take Michigan-Dearborn on Friday, April 4 for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
 
Contact: Jonny Strube | jon.strube@cornerstone.edu
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