TIFFIN, Ohio – Tiffin baseball had no shortage of offense on Tuesday, sweeping Hillsdale College 19-7 and 17-5 to take three out of four from the Chargers in the series.
The Dragons totaled 26 runs and 25 hits over today's doubleheader as they improve to 6-8 in the G-MAC and 9-21 overall.
The Chargers actually got on the scoreboard first in the opener, as Will Smith knocked a three-run homer to left in the top of the second for a 3-0 Hillsdale lead.
It would not last long, though, as TU put a six-spot up in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded and two out, Nich Green was hit by a pitch to push across the first Dragon run. Colin BeDell came through with a two-run single through the left side to tie the game at three, before Kole Klasic launched a two-run double to the wall in left. Brayden Callihan added an RBI single before the inning was over, as Tiffin took a 6-3 lead.
The TU offense was far from finished, though, as they exploded for 11 runs on 10 hits in the bottom of the fourth. The first 10 Dragons reached base in the frame, including the first seven via base hits. John Heckman had two hits and five RBI with a two-run double and a three-run homer, while Kyle Vance also went 2-2 in the inning with an RBI.
Tiffin added two more in the fifth and cruised from there to the 19-7 win.
Cody Orr got the win on the mound, going six innings and allowing five runs with six strikeouts and two walks. Heckman finished the game with six RBI, going 2-3 with three runs scored. BeDell had three hits and a pair of RBI in the game, while Green also picked up two runs batted in.
In game two, the Dragons struck first in the bottom of the second with an Orr RBI single to right. With the bases loaded, Vance hit a hotshot grounder to short that jumped right through the fielder's legs and into left field, scoring a pair to make it 3-0 in favor of Tiffin. Zach Campbell added a sacrifice fly before the third out was recorded, giving TU a four-run lead heading into the third.
Hillsdale got three back on Steven Ring's second homer of the day and third of the series to cut the Dragon lead to one in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the fifth, Orr came up clutch with a two-out, two-RBI single to left to bring the Tiffin lead back up to three, 6-3. The Chargers would threaten in the next half inning though, getting runners on first and second with one out. Peyton Clift entered on the mound in relief of Gunnar Boehm, and induced an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play to escape the jam.
Tiffin added another run in the bottom of the sixth on a Noah Penney sacrifice fly, but Hillsdale cut the Dragon lead in half in the top of the eighth on a two-out, pinch-hit, two-run homer off the bat of Jake Rhodes.
Michael Ross was able to retire the Chargers in order in the top of the ninth, though, to give Tiffin the 7-5 win and the 3-1 series victory.
Boehm received his first collegiate win, going 5.1 innings and allowing just three runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Orr had a great game two, going 3-5 with three RBI.
The Dragons continue conference play this weekend with four games at Alderson Broaddus Saturday and Sunday.