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The Tiffin University Dragons (25-14, 20-12 GMAC) went 2-0 today against the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers (22-14, 19-9 GMAC).
Game One:
The Dragons grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Griffin Stevens and Tim Orr were walked with two outs, putting runners on first and second. Then, Kyle Vance singled to left field to bring home Stevens from second.
The Panthers responded in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs on one hit that gave the host a 2-1 lead.
After a scoreless second inning, the Dragons took the lead back from the Panthers as Stevens homered to left center field with Danny Donnelly on base to lead 3-2.
Stevens was hot at the plate as he hit his second home run of the day in the fifth inning to increase the Dragons' lead to 4-2 and give them the win.
Griffin Stevens led the offense, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, scoring three runs, and driving in three runs while teammate Kyle Vance did well, going 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI.
Gunnar Boehm recorded his fourth win of the season, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, and striking out five. He was relieved by Alan Meadows who got his first save of the season as he pitched 2.0 innings, allowed no hits or runs and struck out three.
Game Two:
A high scoring affair in game two as the Dragons jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Jake Shier doubled to lead off the game. Donnelly reached on an error and was thrown out at second base but Shier scored from second in the process. The next batter Stevens reached on another throwing error by the shortstop. Vance singled to right field, putting runners on the corners. Thomas Auth singled through the right side to score Stevens from third.
Tiffin kept the Panthers off the board until the third inning when they scored on a ground out to the shortstop allowing the runner at third to score.
The Dragons caught fire in the fourth as Donnelly singled down the left field line with runners on first and second to score Marino Pugnetti from second. The next batter Stevens doubled to center field to score Shier from third and advance Donnelly to third. On a wild pitch Stevens advanced to third and Donnelly scored from third. Two batters later Kyle Vance hit an RBI double down the left field line to score Stevens to give the Dragons a 6-1 lead.
Tiffin went on a second rally in the sixth as the bases were loaded. Kyle Vance was hit by a pitch to score Campbell from third. Next, Auth hit a two RBI single that scored Stevens and Orr, advancing Vance to second. Nich Green singled up the middle to bring in Vance and two batters later Pugnetti singled up the middle to score Auth from second. The Dragons scored five runs on five hits to lead the Panthers 11-1.
Kentucky Wesleyan responded in the seventh inning with a six run inning on four hits and left one on base to cut the visitor lead down to 11-7.
The Panthers had one last surge in the ninth as KWC hit a two-run homer to center field to come within one of the Dragons but Robert Guerrero III was able to get a strikeout for the final out of the game and give the Dragons the 11-10 win.
Thomas Auth led the team, going 2-for-4, scored one run and led the team with three RBI. Kyle Vance went 2-for-3, scored one run and had two RBI.
Logan Fisher got the win in the game as he pitched 4.0 innings, allowed one run on four hits, and struck out five.