Two close losses end Dragons' season

Tiffin University could not get a victory on day two at the G-MAC Softball Tournament.
Tiffin University could not get a victory on day two at the G-MAC Softball Tournament.

Tiffin University (30-17) battled throughout the day but could not preserve late leads in either game, falling to Hillsdale 7-6 and Cedarville 7-5 in 10 innings as its season came to a close at the G-MAC Softball Tournament.

Tiffin got off on the right foot in the opening frame against Hillsdale as Brooke Lambert hit a home run to give TU a 1-0 lead. The Chargers answered in the second, though, getting two runs and tacking on one more in the 5th to lead 3-1.

TU came to life in the bottom of the 5th, tallying four runs. Kirsten Georges singled, Jamie Sevenish followed with a fielder's choice, and Libby Crow also singled to load the bases. An error at third let two runs cross the plate, while Hayley Kobie walked to once again load the bases. Chloe Swaisgood followed with a 2 RBI single to send TU to a 5-3 lead.

In the sixth, an error led to Hillsdale scoring 3 unearned runs and 4 total as the Chargers surged back in front 7-5. The Dragons responded in the bottom of the frame, with Kaylee Savage reaching on an error in right field. Savage came home on Georges's double to make it 7-6. George then advanced to third on a ground out to third with just one out in the inning but a grounder to short and a pop out to right field ended the threat. The Dragons went 1-2-3 in the 7th to end the game.

Victoria Edwards took the loss, pitching an inning in relief and allowing 4 runs (1 earned). Sarah Klein tossed 6 innings overall, allowing 3 earned runs.

Lambert had a home run and 2 RBI while Swaisgood also had 2 RBI. Crow and Georges had 2 hits apiece.

In the consolation elimination game, the Dragons trailed 2-0 in the second inning when TU came up with three runs. Gabrielle Hess and Savage got singles and moved up on a wild pitch. A fielder's choice got one run across, and Georges then drilled a single to get two more runs in.

The Dragons held the 3-2 lead all the way to the top of the 7th inning. Needing just two more outs to advance to the G-MAC title game, the Yellow Jackets strung together two singles and a walk to tie the game 3-3. The Dragons then tried to get the walkoff win in the bottom of the frame when Crow tripled with two outs. A grounder to short got Cedarville out of trouble and sent the game to extra innings.

TU had chances to end it again in the 8th inning. They got a runner at second with one out but a grounder to short and a pop out to right field again ended the threat.

In the 10th, Klein was touched for 4 runs as Cedarville jumped ahead 7-3. A Crow single and a Swaisgood bomb in the bottom of the 10th got TU to within 7-5 but TU could muster no more.

Klein took the loss, throwing 9.1 tough innings and allowing 7 earned runs with 6 strikeouts. 

Crow had 3 hits with a triple, while Sevenish also had 2 hits. Swaisgood had a two-run homer, and Brooke Lambert also had a double.