The Dragons and Ohio Dominican Panthers were slated to play a standard double header, one 7 inning game and a 9 inning game, but it took extra innings for both games, with the Dragons outlasting the Panthers 5-4 in both contests.
Game One
It looked bleak in the 1st inning for the Dragons, as Ohio Dominican plated four runs in the top of the 1st. The Panthers used four hits, including a three run homer to lead 4-0 after an inning. The Dragon offense sputtered along for five innings, but found their stride in the 6th. Kyle Lento led off the inning with a hit by pitch, and then the flood gates blew open. The Dragons pounded five straight singles, including run scoring hits by Garrett Vernau, Kurt Barbeau, Nick Hueneburg, and Alec McCurry. The score, now tied at 4-4, headed to extra innings.
Neither side could manage a run in the 8th or the 9th. The Panthers went quietly in the top of the 10th, but the Dragons were not so dormant in their half. With the bases loaded, Devon Fisk walked to the plate with an opportunity to win the contest. Fisk showed great patience, laying off close pitches, and drew the game winning free pass to give TU a 5-4 win.
Patrick Bellinger was the winner on the hill, tossing 2 2/3 innings in relief, holding ODU to two hits. Garrett Vernau and Kurt Barbeau were the table setters for the Dragons, both finishing 2 for 5 with a run batted in.
Game Two
After the three hour marathon that was game one, most spectators were hoping for a quick seven inning affair, but they were once again awarded with free baseball.
The Panthers scratched across a run in the top half of the 1st, but found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard an inning later. Tiffin plated three runs in their half of the 1st on four hits. Garrett Vernau kept his torrid pace from game one, leading off with a double to right field. Vernau was later gunned down at the plate on Nick Hueneburg's fielder's choice. A single by Alec McCurry allowed Hueneburg to advance 90-feet, and Elijah Sanabria got the Dragons on the board with a hot shot up the middle. Isaac Perry was the next hitter for Tiffin, and he delivered a double to the left center field gap to score McCurry and Sanabria to give Tiffin a 3-1 lead.
Tiffin added another run in the 2nd on Nick Hueneburg's fielder's choice, scoring Fisk, giving Tiffin a 4-1 lead. Ohio Dominican pulled a run closer on a groundout in the 3rd, and pulled even in the top of the 6th. The Panthers tied the game on four singles, forcing extra frames.
In the 9th, Elijah Sanabria reached on a fielder's choice to give the Dragons a base runner. Then the turning point occured, as Isaac Perry's bouncer to shortstop was thrown away, allowing Sanabria to roll on in to third base. With pinch hitter Alex Hartley at the plate, ODU uncorked a wild pitch, sending Sanabria racing home, and the home dugout hot on his tail in celebrating a 5-4 victory.
Marc Deitsch earned the win in relief, hurling a shutout inning. Nick Hueneburg finished 2 for 5 at the plate with a RBI, and Isaac Perry concluded his day with a 2 for 4 performance and two runs batted in.
The sweep moves the Dragons to 13-17 overall and 4-8 in GLIAC play. Tiffin will get a much needed break from the diamond, but will hit the road for the weekend, traveling to take on the University of Findlay Oilers.