TIFFIN, Ohio - An RBI double in the bottom of the fourth by Colin Lowe in the second game tied the game at one and shifted momentum to the Dragons, but the Lakers took advantage of walks, errors and the wind as Tiffin (8-23, 5-12) lost a pair of games against #4 Grand Valley State (29-3, 18-1) 10-0 and 5-1 Saturday afternoon at Heminger Field.
Lowe and Cory Hornyak both had two hits in six at-bats with Lowe's double scoring Hornyak for Tiffin's only run of the game. Ryan Williams added a double in four at-bats for the Dragons.
Pat Curtin (2-5) took the loss in game one, giving up seven runs (six earned) with four hits in 1.2 innings pitched while Donnie Smith (3-4) took the loss in game two, giving up four earned runs on a grand slam in the top of the sixth. Smith gave up six hits while striking out four.
Steve Anderson led Grand Valley with two home runs and a trio of singles for 9 RBI and two runs scored in six at-bats. Cody Grice smashed three doubles in six at-bats with four runs scored and an RBI.
Ryan Garman (5-1) recorded the six inning win in game one, giving up only four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Bill Maple (5-0) recorded the win in game two, giving up three hits, one walk and one run but punching out 10 Dragons.
Game one saw Grand Valley State jump out to a 7-0 lead through the first two innings en route to a 10-0 lead. Garret Yatch started the game with a walk and advanced to third on a one-out double by Grice. A passed ball and an infield single by Anderson put GVSU up 2-0 after one. In the second, the first two batters were hit by a pitch before a fielder's choice gave TU a chance to get Curtin out of the inning unscathed. However, a walk to the number nine hitter and a single by Yatch scored another pair of runs, but a throwing error moved both GVSU runners left on base into scoring position. A sacrifice fly and RBI hits by Anderson and Grice pushed the lead to 7-0.
An Anderson three-run home run produced the final runs in game one for the visitors.
In game two, Smith and Maple went toe-to-toe with Smith only giving up an unearned run in the first five innings, but Tiffin recorded the first earned run off Maple in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Hornyak singled up the middle for the first TU hit of the day before Lowe lined a ball just past the third-base bag that stayed fair to score Hornyak from first and put the go-ahead run into scoring position. However, Maples got out of the inning without further damage.
Grand Valley's Anderson came through with the big hit again to score the game's final runs in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Anderson smashed the 1-0 pitch over the right field fence to give GVSU a 5-1 win.
Tiffin returns to action tomorrow when it hosts Grand Valley State for another double header. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
