Tiffin University (0-2) opened their season at the NFCA Classic, taking on some of the toughest softball teams in the country. The Dragons fell 4-2 to Rollins College in their opener, then dropped a 11-5 decision to defending PSAC East champion West Chester in the nightcap.
Against Rollins, the Dragons allowed a single run in the 4th inning, 2 more in the 5th, and another run in the 7th to fall behind 4-0 heading to their final at-bats. But the Dragons were not yet done.
In the 7th, Michelle Poe reached on an error. After Gabrielle Hess entered as a pinch runner, she advanced to third on Sierra Besser-Paul's single. Hayley Kobie then walked to load the bases. April Bennett then reached on an error that allowed 2 runs to score. Kate-Lynn Urgo entered as a pinch runner and, after Allyson Rock struck out looking, Lindsay Graves walked to load the bases with 2 outs. Brooke Lambert then flied out to right to end the threat.
Overall Lambert, Libby Crow, and Besser-Paul had singles, with Lambert also drawing a walk. Tiffany Snell took the loss, going 4 innings and allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits with 2 strikeouts. Savannah Chalfant tossed 3 innings of relief, allowing an earned run on 2 hits.
In the nightcap, the Dragons banged out 12 hits as they engaged in a high scoring affair with West Chester.
TU got a run in the 2nd inning when Allyson Rock singled home Bennett after her double. The Dragons had two on with two out but a groundout to short ended their threat.
TU trailed 4-1 in the fourth inning but TU rallied for 3 runs to tie it. With two out, Amanda Rock walked, Lambert singles, and Crow then singled home a run. Jamie Sevenish then singled home another run, and a fielding error allowed another run to come home. After a WC pitching change, Poe walked to put two on with two outs, but Besser-Paul flied out to left to end the inning.
West Chester then tacked on 2 runs in the 5th inning to go up 6-4 but TU got a run back in the 6th. Urgo singled and was sacrificed to second. Sevenish then singled her home and followed that with a stolen base and moved to third on an error. Graves struck out to end the frame.
West Chester put the game away in the bottom of the 6th by pushing 5 runs across the plate.
Kimmy Reynolds took the loss, pitching 5 innings and allowing 8 earned runs on 8 hits with 4 walks. Chalfant tossed another inning, allowing 2 earned runs. Overall TU's pitching allowed 9 hits and 7 walks in the game.
Sevenish had 3 hits with a double and 2 RBI, while Crow also had 2 hits with an RBI. Bennett had 2 hits with a double, while Urgo also had 2 hits.