TIFFIN, Ohio – After a 10-5 game one win, Tiffin softball had to rally in the bottom of the seventh of game two for a thrilling 8-7 come-from-behind victory over Walsh on Sunday.
Down by one with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, freshman Kirsten Georges stepped to the plate and laced a two-RBI single to left center field to take earn the sweep.
With the wins, the Dragons are now 11-5 in the GMAC and 19-12 overall, and head coach Jeff Nickerson has now tied Brian Campbell for the most wins in TU softball history with 285.
Tiffin scored in each of the first four innings in game one, starting with a Libby Crow RBI single to score Lambert in the bottom of the first. Lambert followed that in the second frame with a two-run bomb to left, and the Dragons picked up two more runs in the inning on a Hayley Kobie single to go up 5-0.
Gabby Hess and Lambert each picked up RBI singles in the third inning, and followed that up in the fourth with two more RBI for Hess and another for Lambert.
Walsh picked up a run in the third and two in the fourth, though, as Tiffin led 10-3 through four. The Cavaliers added another in the top of the fifth and one in the seventh, but it was far too little, too late as the Dragons took the 10-5 victory.
With her 11th win of the year, Sarah Klein's final line read seven innings pitched and five runs (three earned) on 12 hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Lambert had herself quite a game, going 5-5 from the plate with a pair of runs scored and four RBI, while Hess was 2-4 with three RBI.
Tiffin took a 4-0 lead through four in game two, scoring two in the first and two in the third on a Kobie homer. Walsh loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth, but the Dragons were able to escape the frame with just one run allowed on a bases loaded walk.
TU got the run back in the bottom of the inning on a Hess sacrifice fly, but fielding issues got the Dragons in trouble in the top of the sixth as two of the first three Cavalier hitters reached on errors, with a run scoring on the second miscue. With the bases loaded and one out later in the inning, Walsh power-hitter Jessie Rock launched a grand slam over the fence in center to put the visitors on top. That was all the Cavaliers would get in the inning, but the five unearned runs put the Dragons behind 6-5.
Walsh added a run in the top of the seventh to go up 7-5, and Tiffin came to the plate in desperate need of a rally. Libby Crow led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a Swaisgood walk one out later. Gabby Hess then came up clutch with an RBI base hit to score Crow and put runners on second and third with one away. After a strikeout, Kaylee Savage walked to load the bases for Kirsten Georges with the game on the line, and Georges was able to come through with the game-winning single to give the Dragons the 8-7 win.
Georges had a great game at the plate in addition to her late heroics, going 3-4 with the two RBI. Lambert also went 2-4, making it an impressive 7-9 day for the infielder.
After winning all four games this weekend, the Dragons will look to keep the momentum going as they host Urbana for a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday.