The Tiffin University baseball team defeated GMAC opponent Hillsdale 12-11 in game one of the doubleheader. Game two was postponed until tomorrow to finish with the game tied 9-9 in the seventh inning.
The Dragons improve to 15-13 overall and 10-3 in the GMAC, while the Chargers fall to 12-16 overall and 5-8 in the GMAC.
Game One:
Tiffin was able to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Marino Pugnetti got on base by way of a walk. Tim Orr singled to put runners on first and third for Nich Green, who hit a single, scoring Pugnetti from second.
Hillsdale tied the game at 1-1 as the lead-off hitter tripled to start the inning, followed by a sac fly to center field scoring the runner.
The Dragons took back the lead in the third inning on four hits. Griffin Stevens started the rally as he singled to start the inning, then Tim Orr hit a two-run home run to left-center. Tommy Thamann singled and stole second as Auth struck out looking, but Isaiah Mirabal hit an RBI single to score Thamann to lead 4-1 against the Chargers.
The Chargers cut down Tiffin's lead to 4-2, scoring an unearned run in the top of the fourth.
The Dragons responded in the bottom of the fourth with Pugnetti hitting a double, followed by a Griffin Stevens double to put base runners on second and third. Tim Orr hit a single to score Pugnetti to give the host a 5-2 lead heading into the fifth.
In the fifth inning, Tiffin added a run as Pugnetti hit an RBI single with the bases loaded to score the run, bringing the lead to 6-2.
The Chargers cut down the Dragons' lead in the top of the sixth to 6-3 as they had one run on three hits.
Tiffin countered by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Nich Green began the inning with a walk, followed by pinch hitter Ricky Havrilla getting walked on a passed ball that put base runners on the corners. Mirabal hit an RBI single to score the pinch-runner at third Aidan Grabowski, then Kole Klasic hit a sac fly to center field to score Havrilla to take an 8-3 lead.
The Dragons added four runs in the bottom of the seventh as Tim Orr hit his second home run of the game with two runners on to increase the Dragons' lead to 11-3. Grabowski was walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch, then Danny Donnelly hit a double to bring the score to 12-3.
Hillsdale had a huge top of the ninth, as they were down 12-3 and were able to score eight runs but Tiffin was able to hold them off as they took the 12-11 win.
Alan Meadows started on the mound, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.
Tim Orr led the offense as he went 4-for-6 with two home runs, scored two runs, and had six RBI, Griffin Stevens went 3-for-6 with a double and scored two runs, and Isaiah Mirabal went 2-for-4, scored one run, and had two RBI.