Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

TIFFIN - It took two days, a lengthy rain delay and a bunch of players, coaches and volenteers struggling to put a tarp on the infield, but No. 1-ranked Defiance shut out No. 13-ranked Granville behind two dominate performances by the 1A-1B punch of Rob Zeigler (pictured right) and Weston Rivers (pictured left).
 

The hefty lefty Rivers started the game on Friday and Zeigler closed out the game on Saturday, with both pitchers doing what they have done all season long. 

Defiance mentor Tom Held praised his two horses on how they performed against a good hitting team in Granville, that came into the game hitting .330.

“Weston gave us four shutout innings, that’s what he’s done all season long, and then Robbie came in on one day’s rest, and he threw as well as he has all season,” stated Held . “When you’ve got a 1-2 like those two... what can you say?”

Granville head coach Vince Ghiloni was impressed by the two Defiance seniors.

“We didn’t hit the ball, that’s the story of the game for us,” said Ghiloni. “Those two (Rivers and Zeigler) are just monsters. We’ve seen some good pitchers this year and have managed to hit, but that didn’t happen against them. It was their pitchers against our hitters and they were better. They say the best team doesn’t always win, in this case the better team won this game. I wish those guys luck in Columbus”

Rivers went four innings and allowed three hits while striking out four and walking none. The lefty was consistently 83-85 while topping out at 86. Rivers also featured his knuckle that was dancing all over. On the season, Rivers has pitched 61 2/3 innings and is 9-0 with a 0.23 ERA with 72 strikeouts while allowing just 22 total hits.

Zeigler went the final three innings on one day rest and allowed just one hit while striking out six. The righty was on top of his game sitting 90-92 with the fastball, topping out at 93 while featuring his nasty curve. On the season, Zeigler has pitched 55 2/3 innings and is 9-0 with a 0.50 ERA with 95 strikeouts while allowing just 21 total hits.

Defiance's offense took an early 1-0 in the top of the first. The Bulldogs loaded the bases against Granville senior starter Dalton Boucher. The lefty gave up a sacrifice fly off the bat of Defiance College recruit Austin Yant that scored Dom Gentile, but he was able to get out of the jam.

A two out rally by the Bulldogs in the second inning gave Defiance a 3-0 cushion. Talented junior Derek Turner singled, gifted junior Austin Hancock hit a ground-rule double that bounced over the fence in right-center field and Gentile walked to load the bases again. A two-run single by Zeigler scored Turner and Hancock to put Defiance up 3-0.

A few more innings with no runs being put on the board before more rain came, postponing the game to Saturday. 
 

Hancock (pictured) added an insurance run in the sixth with a bomb to left-center to put Defiance up 4-0, with Ziegler shutting Granville down the rest of the way.

Coach Held knows a 4-0 lead is way different from a 3-0 lead.

“Austin’s home run really quieted them down,” Held said. “With a 3-0 lead, anything can happen. An error, a walk, somebody turns on one and all of a sudden it’s a tie game. When Austin’s home run made it 4-0, you could start to feel the momentum was on our side. That geared Robbie up even more, he hit 93 on the gun today. But, Austin has just had an unbelievable tournament.”

The junior shortstop is 8-for-17 on the tourney while anchoring down the defense, which has been stellar throughout the tournament as evident by this diving catch by defensive star Jacob Green (pictured).

"Our whole focus all year has been hit the ball hard and be a tough out and control what you can control," Defiance hitting coach Rick Weaver said. "We've talked a lot of mental stuff, we don't look at batting average, we chart quality at-bats and all I ask them to do is put a good swing on and hit the ball hard and if it goes through it goes through, if they make a great play they make a great play. But that's been our approach. These last two games here are as well as we've swung it. Austin Hancock ... hes hit eight or nine ropes, even his outs are hit hard."

Defiance advances to the Division II Final Four to face Akron Hoban (20-10) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers. This is Defiance's fourth trip in school history and third under coach Held. Defiance won the D-I state championship in 1992, while also making it to state in D-II in 2002 and in 2010.

"We are going to celebrate this one for the next couple of day and then get back to work." stated Held (pictured).

To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

To view notes on unsigned seniors please visit the Unsigned Senior Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

To discuss this game, please visit our partner JJHuddle.

LINESCORE

Defiance    120  001  0  -  4  8  1
Granville    000  000  0  -  0  4  0

Records: Defiance 29-1, Granville 22-7.
Winning pitcher: Weston Rivers (4 innings, 0 runs, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks). Other: Rob Zeigler (3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks).
Losing pitcher: Dalton Boucher (5 innings, 3 runs, 6 hits, 8 strikeouts, 5 walks). Other: Clay Hartness.
Leading hitters: (Defiance, 8 hits) - Austin Hancock double, home run; Dom Gentile double; Adam Schaffer 2 singles. (Granville, 4 hits) - Alex Marcum double.