The Tiffin University baseball team maintained their one game lead for the final spot in the GLIAC Tournament on Sunday. Tiffin fell in game one 6-5, but pulled out a 6-5 win in game two after a lengthy rain delay forced the game to be called due to darkness after the 8th inning.
Game One
Just like the opening day of the series, the two offenses got rolling right from the start. Jack Dennis gave the Dragons a 1-0 lead with a single to right field. Noah Heard made it 2-0 with an infield single, and an Ashland error allowed Tiffin to take a 3-0 lead after a half inning of play.
The Eagles one-upped the Dragons in their half of the 1st, scoring four times on four hits, two walks, and an error to lead 4-3. Dennis tied the score the very next inning, collecting his second run batted in, in as many at bats.
In the top of the 5th, Nich Green's run scoring ground out gave Tiffin a 5-4 lead, needing just nine more out to earn the win. Ashland had other ideas, tying the score in the 6th with a bases loaded walk. Then the walk-off bug bit the Dragons again, as the Eagles won the game in the last of the 7th on a Tiffin wild pitch.
As a team, Tiffin banged out 11 hits on game one, with Brayden Callihan, Jack Dennis, and Alec McCurry each finishing with two hits.
Game Two
Mother Nature had a hand in this game, but it wouldn't be until the latter stages of the contest. Tiffin came out swinging early, placing a crooked number on the board in the 2nd inning. With the bases loaded, Brayden Callihan hooked a single down the left field line to plate a pair and give Tiffin a 2-0 lead. The Eagles handed Tiffin their next run, as a fielding error enabled Tiffin to take a 3-0 lead.
Tiffin added to their lead in the 4th, using Zach Campbell double to the gap to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead. A few batters later, Jack Dennis collected a run batted in with a sacrifice fly to left field to push Tiffin's lead to 5-0. The Eagles plated a pair of runs in the 6th to make it a 5-2 game.
After a rain delay that lasted in excess of 90 minutes, the Dragons added what would be the most important run of the game. Noah Heard's single to left center field didn't seem like much, making the Dragons' lead 6-2, but Ashland managed to score three runs in their half of the 8th to pull within a run before the game was called due to darkness.
Starting pitcher, Jon Laird earned the win, tossing 5 2/3rd innings. Laird allowed only two earned runs while scattering 10 hits. Jake Monnin picked up his first save as a Dragon. doing so with 1 2/3rd innings pitched. Shortstop, Kyle Vance finished 3 for 5 with a run scored, Brayden Callihan collected two hits, a run scored, and two RBIs.
Tiffin finishes the regular season 16-27 overall and 10-17 in the GLIAC. The Dragons will have a tall order in the GLIAC Tournament, drawing top seed Northwood next Friday.