Tiffin University (30-15) got an excellent outing from Sarah Klein in the first round of the G-MAC Softball Tournament, then played a marathon 9 inning contest lasting 3 hours and ending just before 2 am before winning in comeback fashion as the Dragons reached the Semifinals with two victories.
The Dragons posted a 1-0 win over Malone in the first round, and then came up with two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to stun Findlay 3-2. They will now face Hillsdale at 3 pm in Semifinal action.
Rain played havoc with much of the opening day's schedule, with numerous games being delayed and moved to later times. The day also saw some upsets, as both top seeded Ohio Dominican and second seed Trevecca Nazarene were both knocked out of the tourney, leaving the Dragons as the top seed remaining.
Klein, meanwhile, took care of business, tossing a two-hitter to shutout Malone. She went the distance, fanning 5 over 7 innings. TU made the most of its four hits, scoring its lone run in the fourth inning.
Brooke Lambert singled and was sacrificed to second. Chloe Swaisgood then came through with two outs, lacing a single to drive Lambert home.
Klein did the rest, allowing only a single down the line and a bunt single over her seven innings. Only one runner reached scoring position all day.
But it was the day's final game that proved the wildest. Victoria Edwards started for TU and pitched well, going 6.2 innings and not allowing an earned run.
Tiffin scored in the second inning. Kaylee Savage walked followed by Kirsten George's single. Jamie Sevenish then collected the first of four hits on the day, singling to drive in a run and put TU ahead 1-0.
Findlay scored an unearned run after a two-base error and a wild pitch in the fifth inning. Klein returned to pitch for TU in the 7th and ended up getting the win, pitching out of numerous jams over 2.1 innings. She allowed just two hits and one earned run.
After Findlay picked up a run in the top of the 9th, the Dragons had their backs to the wall. Sevenish again got the offense going with a single with one out. Brooke Lambert then drilled a clutch double to left field that tied the score. Down to their final out, Hayley Kobie came through with a ground ball single to short that caromed off the shortstop's glove, reaching the outfield grass and allowing Lambert to scamper home for the walkoff victory.