AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Tiffin baseball scored a run on an error in the bottom of the ninth to walk off Northern State 12-11 on Tuesday.
Trailing 11-9 heading to the bottom of the eighth, the Dragons pushed across a pair of runs on an Aaron Gonzalez two-RBI single to knot the score at 11. Peyton Clift came in and didn't give up a hit in the top of the ninth, bringing TU to the plate needing just one score to get the win.
Henry Delgado led off the inning with a double to left and John Heckman was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Kyle Vance stepped up to the plate and attempted to move the runners up one base with a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error by the Wolves' pitcher allowed pinch-runner Jacob Boyd to score from second and end the game.
Four Dragons had two hits in the contest, including Cody Orr going 2-2 with three RBI and a walk. Heckman also picked up two hits, two RBI, and a walk, while Nich Green and Colin BeDell registered the other multi-hit games for Tiffin.
Tyler Wehrle got the start on the mound for TU, oing five strong innings while allowing seven hits, four runs (two earned), and striking out six.
Tiffin got the scoring started in the third as Brayden Callihan knocked in BeDell with a sac fly and Kole Klasic scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Delgado. With two outs, Heckman ripped a two-RBI double to center that put the Dragons up 4-0.
The Wolves got two runs back in the top of the fourth, but Tiffin came right back with another four-spot in the bottom of the inning. The Dragons quickly loaded the bases with one out, and Orr cleared them with one swing on a three-RBI triple to the gap in left center. Orr then scored on a passed ball, giving Tiffin an 8-2 lead.
Northern State was able to rally, however, outscoring the Dragons 9-1 over the next three and half innings. Their two-run lead would not last, though, as TU scored two in the eighth and the walk-off in the ninth to earn the win.
With the victory, the Dragons pick up their second victory of the season and improve to 2-7.
Next up for Tiffin is a matchup with Embry-Riddle tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee.