Division II Team Of The Week: Week 5 - Defiance

May 2, 2023
Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Senior Writer

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Division II Team Of The Week: Week 5 - Defiance

DEFIANCE - Few high school teams have a 1-2-3 pitching punch like Defiance.

With Bradyn Shaw, Aidan Kiessling and David Jimenez nearly unhittable on the mound, the results have been outstanding for the Prep Baseball Report Division II Team of the Week.

“Our strength has definitely been our starting pitching,” Defiance head coach Tom Held said. “Our team ERA presently is 0.76.”

Kiessling and Jimenez have both thrown no-hitters during a 14-1 start to the season while Shaw tossed a one-hitter this past week in a 5-0 win over Elida, permitting a sixth-inning single. The Bulldogs also defeated Toledo Central Catholic 2-1 last week, with Jimenez allowing just one hit, a first-inning one-out double. Kiessling gave up just one hit, a fifth-inning single, on Saturday against Bellefontaine at the PBR Spring Classic before the game was called off due to weather.

“I think what makes this staff really good is their ability to throw their offspeed over the plate, especially the change up,” explained Held, whose pitchers have limited the opposition to a .147 team batting average. “DJ and AK have great changes and can throw it in any count and Bradyn's change has gotten better as the season has gone along. All three also have a ton of varsity experience and experience in pitching in big games. Thus far, they rank up there as one of the best 1-3 pitchers we have ever had, but we are only halfway through the season.”

For the year, Kiessling is 3-1 with a 0.25 ERA, striking out 37 in 27.2 innings. Jimenez is 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA, fanning 35 in 34 innings while Shaw is 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA, recording 38 Ks in 31 innings. The trio have combined to surrender 47 hits and 40 walks in 92.2 innings.

Shaw, the 24th-rated senior right-handed pitcher in Ohio, is an Akron commit and Kiessling, the 23rd-ranked 2023 RHP in the state, a Findlay signee while Jimenez, the 42nd-rated senior righty in Ohio, is uncommitted.

Helping the cause on the mound for the second-rated Division II team in the state is a solid defense.

“Our defense has been very good all season long,” pointed out Held, who has an overall coaching record of 793-178 in 35 years, the last 24 at Defiance. “We knew coming in that would be our strength.”

At the plate the Bulldogs carry a team batting average of .300. Shaw is hitting .349, Jimenez .341 and Kiessling .313, with Shaw at shortstop when not pitching, Jimenez at short or third and Kiessling at third.

Senior center fielder Tyler Frederick, an Olivet Nazarene signee, leads the Bulldogs with a .409 batting average while Adrian commit Gavino Gomez, the 55th-rated senior outfielder in Ohio, is hitting .350.

One pleasant surprise according to Held is the play of sophomore catcher Cody Shaw, the younger brother of Bradyn.

“We are really happy with what Cody has brought to us behind the plate defensively,” Held said. “He has been a difference maker. We haven't had a three-year starter behind the plate since Chayse (Held, the head coach’s son back in 2000-02). Cody is a great receiver and throws very well. I think he has only given up three stolen bases all year.”

Speaking of stolen bases, that is another area that Defiance stands out. To date, the Bulldogs have 80 steals in 93 attempts with Gomez, Shaw and Kiessling leading the way with 12. Jimenez has 10 while Frederick, Jackson Walter and Garret Rodenberger all have eight.

“We set the record last year with I believe 153,” Held said. “I didn't think that record would ever get broken, but this team is close to that pace. We just have to get on base more. We’re averaging less walks this year than we have in our 24 years here.”

With games at Perrysburg and Bryan on Thursday and Friday, respectively, this week and a home contest with Napoleon on Saturday, the schedule does not get any easier for the sixth-rated team in Ohio in the PBR Team Power Ratings. Defiance is currently tied with Wapakoneta for second place in the Western Buckeye League at 6-1. Lima Bath is in first at 5-0, a team that the Bulldogs play in a rescheduled game on May 11.

“We have to get better offensively up and down the order,” concluded Held, who has led Defiance to 27 WBL and six regional titles, as well as four state championships. “We had a 7-10 day time period that we were really clicking, then we went four days without playing, and we haven't recovered. I think when the weather gets better, and we start playing every day, it will improve.”