It was a wild game out at the Paradiso Athletic Complex on the surface of Heminger Field, seeing a combined 10 substitutions and 10 pitching changes, but the Dragons were able to survive and defeat Cedarville University 9-8.
It was pitching by committee for both sides, as Hunter Carson took to the hill first for Tiffin. Carson allowed one hit in his two innings of work, turning to the Dragons' bats for some support.
In the bottom of the 2nd, the Dragons placed the first crooked number of the game on the board to lead 1-0. With two on and two out, Jack Dennis sliced a double deep into the left field corner to score Kyle Lento and give the Dragons their early lead. A half inning later, Cedarville responded with a towering home run down the left field line to tie the score.
The Yellow Jackets took their first lead of the game, loading the bases against Tiffin pitcher Brady Ward. Cedarville scored the go ahead run on a walk to take a 2-1 lead.Tiffin fired back with a pair in the 5th inning, using a hit and a Cedarville error to do so. With runners at first and third, Kurt Barbeau was hung up on his attempted steal of second, allowing Jack Dennis to bolt to the plate from third. The throw home was wide of the mark, scoring the first run of the inning and advancing Barbeau to third. On the very next pitch, Kurt sprinted home on a wild pitch to give Tiffin a 3-2 lead.
An inning later, Tiffin was back at it again, putting three more runs on the board. Jay Smith walked, and rolled home on Alec McCurry's double down the left field line. Devon Fisk walked to put two on, and a groundout moved both runners 90' closer. Kyle Durham then pulled a ball down the right field line, scoring both runners to give Tiffin a comfortable 6-2 lead.
An Isaac Perry sacrifice fly in the 7th gave Tiffin an insurance run to increase their lead to 7-2. Another Cedarville home run in the 8th, cut the Dragons' lead to 7-3.
After a quiet bottom of the 8th, the Dragons needed just three outs to take care of business, but the Yellow Jackets still had some sting left. Cedarville scored five runs on five hits and two Tiffin errors to regain the lead at 8-7, and took all the momentum to the bottom of the 9th needing three outs for a comeback victory.
As Cedarville did in their half of the 9th, Tiffin did as well, making a stand when all seemed lost. With one out, John Heckman walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Jay Smith then walked, and both runners moved up a base on the second wild pitch of the frame. A Ryan Thomas single to left field tied the game at 8-8, and left a runner at third with one out. With the bases loaded and a force at any base, Kyle Lento lofted a high fly ball to left center field, and it all came down to a play at the plate. The throw from Cedarville's center fielder looked on line, but was cutoff, allowing pinch runner Ke'Andre Tidmore to slide home safely for a 9-8 Tiffin win.
On the mound, Kevin Borst went from blowing a save, potentially being the losing pitcher, to earning the victory in relief, his first of the season. At the plate, Devon Fisk finished 2 for 2 with a walk and a run scored. Kyle Durham made the most of his one hit, driving home a pair of runs.
The Dragons move to 15-14 overall and will be back in action this weekend, traveling to Saginaw, Michigan for a four game set with the Cardinals.