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Defiance keeps rolling with 12-1 win over Xenia

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By KEVIN EIS

cnsports@crescent-news.com

LIMA -- The Defiance ACME baseball team needed just five innings on Sunday at Shawnee Field to take another step toward a possible seventh state title with a well-rounded and convincing 12-1 win over District 5 champion Xenia during ACME State Tournament action.

The 2009 tournament's first run-rule victory pushes Defiance (29-5) to an unblemished record of 10-0 in the postseason as the blue-and-white now prepares to face Springfield in the next leg of the winners' bracket on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

"At the State ACME Tournament there are not going to be a lot of bad teams, there are going to be a lot of great teams," said Defiance co-skipper Rob DeLeon, whose squad shelled Xenia starting pitcher Andrew Bolka for eight runs and 10 hits through the opening 22/3 innings. "We were able to come out and test them and put a lot of pressure on them. A lot of times great teams don't face a lot of pressure and luckily tonight a lot of balls bounced our way and we were able to get out of here with a good win."

Defiance swiped eight bases in the first three innings, a huge key to the victory according to Xenia mentor Scott Owsley. Despite the loss, Owsley remained optimistic after his squad slipped into the losers' bracket in its first-ever state appearance.

"(Defiance) is a good team, there's no doubt about that," Owsley said. "They've won this tournament a lot and once the boys got behind, we couldn't get anything to drop and they just hit the ball where we weren't. They're a real aggressive team on the basepaths. Our first pitcher was a little slow on his motion and they took advantage of that.

"It's the first time we've ever been to this tournament. These boys will battle back and surprise some people. We deserve to be here and we'll do all right."

Dace Kime popped a bloop single into the outfield grass in the opening frame to score Aaron Helland from third to get the ball rolling in Defiance's favor. From there, the bats came alive in the next two innings as the locals hung four on the board in the second and five in the third for a lopsided 10-1 lead after three.

In total, Defiance sent 24 batters to the dish through the first three innings while seven out of the starting nine crossed the plate at least once in the game.

"We came out swinging the bats," noted DeLeon. "Something we've been preaching is trying to get an early lead. We got that first run and were able to build on that by scoring four and five in the next innings. Hitting is contagious, they say, and it really builds off itself."

Defensively, Defiance received a boost via a superb outing on the mound by right-hander Kurt Belau.

"Kurt was definitely on tonight," lauded DeLeon. "His changeup was working well today, his curveball was working well and he was able to throw them all for strikes and keep them off balance. The defense made all the plays behind him and that's a big confidence-builder for him out there on the mound."

The DHS junior allowed just three hits while fanning four and allowing no walks to pick up the win.

"We just tacked some runs on to give me a little cushion," stated Belau. "I pitch better when I have a little more of a cushion. I was just concentrating on throwing strikes and getting ground balls."

Alex Nofziger crossed the plate in the top of the fifth on a passed ball and Corbin Stykemain came home on an infield error to open the door for the run-rule as Defiance took a commanding 12-1 lead. The bottom half saw Belau set Xenia down in order on a strikeout, a fly ball to Jacob Moser in right field and another to Helland in left.

"I just wanted to keep doing what I had been doing," Belau said of preserving the 11-run lead. "My defense really backed me up and we were hitting the ball really well, too."

Batting in the lead-off position, Helland paced the Defiance bats with three singles and three runs scored. Moser followed with a two-run triple while Dakota Westrick and Jake Thomas each chipped in with two-baggers.

Linescore

Defiance 145 02 - 12 12 1

Xenia 010 00 - 1 3 1

Records: Defiance 29-5, Xenia 25-6.

Winning pitcher: Kurt Belau (5 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks).

Losing pitcher: Andrew Bolka (22/3 innings, 8 runs, 10 hits, 2 strikeouts, 4 walks). Others: Nick Cain, Jordan Scott.

Leading hitters: (Defiance, 12 hits) - Aaron Helland 3 singles, 3 runs; Alex Nofziger 2 RBI; Jacob Moser triple, 2 RBI; Dakota Westrick double; Jake Thomas double. (Xenia, 3 hits) - Troy Koze double; Andrew Bolka double.