Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout
 

DEFIANCE- Two Top Prospect Games participants Austin Hancock and Derek Turner powered No. 1 Division I Defiance past No. 12 Division IV Defiance Tinora 14-4. Hancock drove in six while Turner gave up just one run in four innings.

Defiance did not capitalize on its run-scoring opportunities in the first two innings only scoring one run on a base-loaded walk that scored junior center fielder Jacob Green. But Defiance took control of the game with a six-run third inning. Junior OF Adam Schader drove Turner in with an RBI single to put the Bulldogs up 2-0 and a bases loaded walk to Defiance College recruit Drake Jimenez made the score 3-0. 

Hancock, a talented shortstop, laced a shot to the fence in right-center field to score Green and unsigned senior Joe Keween and Jimenez. Hancock circled the bases after a high throw to the cutoff scoring the seventh run for the Dogs'. 

"They got out of tough jams early but that hit opened the game up," stated DHS coach Tom Held "What was so big about his hit was we were in the same situation two times before that.”

On the day Hancock had just one hit, the bases-clearing triple, but the TPG participant drove in six runs thanks to two base-loaded walks and an RBI groundout.

That was more than enough run support for 2014 Derek Turner. The RHP was starting for the first time at the varsity level and showcased his ability early and often. Turner featured confidence in all three of his pitches, throwing them all in every situation. Turner went four innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out 10.

At the plate the Bulldogs also had contributions from unsigned senior catcher Joe Keween who had a single and double. Unsigned senior Ethan Willitzer came in for the final three innings striking out five.

Division IV power Tinora is off to a rough start to the season, losing five of its first nine games of the season, one more than all of last season (27-4). The Rams have lost to three Division II teams and a Division I team. 

"It was a good learning experience for us," stated Tinora head coach Brent Renollet. “They're not No. 1 in Division II for no reason. They're good. All their pitchers throw in the 80s. You've got to play really well to beat them."

Ahead are road games with Wayne Trace and Fairview in the Green Meadows Conference, with the Rams riding a 31-game league winning streak.

With two straight trips to state, in D-IV a year ago and in D-III the year before, the Rams are counting on a large contingent of underclassmen with potential to play at the next level to make another tournament run.

Junior catcher Clay Pittman reached base on all four plate appearances, blasting a two-run home run and a double in addition to reaching base on two hit-by-pitches. Freshman third baseman Brevin Renollet laced two singles as well as making an outstanding backhand play at third to retire Defiance three-hole hitter Rob Zeigler. Talented junior TPG participant Derek Drewes roped a single while getting robbed of two base hits thanks to stellar defense from Jimenez at second and Hancock at shortstop. 

Defiance now puts a 60-game Western Buckeye League streak on the line with a home game on Tuesday with No. 23 Division III O-G and a road game on Friday at No. 10 Division II Wapakoneta. Defiance beat Wapak in the regular season a year ago only to fall to the Redskins in the regionals. Wapak went on to finish as state runner-up and has eight starters back from that team.

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

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Linescore

Defiance 016 020 5 - 14 13 2

Tinora 000 100 3 - 4 9 5

Records: Defiance 10-0, Tinora 4-5.

Winning pitcher: Derek Turner (4 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 10 strikeouts, 2 walks, 2 HBP). Other: Ethan Willitzer.

Losing pitcher: Dylan Rumbaugh (6 innings, 13 runs, 12 hits, 3 strikeouts, 9 walks). Other: Logan Dickerson.

Leading hitters: (Defiance, 13 hits) – Austin Hancock triple, 6 RBIs; Derek Turner double; Adam Schafer 2 singles; Joe Keween single, double; Drake Jimenez double. (Tinora, 9 hits) – Clay Pittman double, home run; Brevin Renollet 2 singles; A.J. Fairchild 2 doubles.