DETROIT - Needing a big start: enter TU senior pitcher Donnie Smith stage right. The result: a 99-pitch, one hit, shutout masterpiece.
Smith (2-3) allowed only one hit and three walks with five strikeouts as he recorded the complete game shutout as Tiffin knocked off the co-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference leader Wayne State 12-0 in game one. In game two, the Warriors scored early and exploded for four runs in the bottom of the sixth as Tiffin (6-15, 3-4) fell to Wayne State (14-6, 6-2) 8-5 in game two.
Offensively on the day for the Dragons, Zach McCutcheon had the hot bat with four singles in seven at-bats with two runs scored and an RBI. Pat Curtin added a triple, double and a pair of singles in eight at-bats with four RBI's and a run scored. Cory Osborne only went 2-for-7, but he did ignite a furious TU rally in the second game as he turned a 4-0 hole into a one-run deficit with one swing of the bat in the top of the fourth.
Kyle Klinker (0-3) took the loss on the bump out of the bullpen for the Dragons in game two.
Wayne State, who managed only a .045 average in game one, exploded for eight runs in game two for the come-from-behind win. Michael Wiseman and Brad Guenther both had a double and single in six at-bats with three RBI's. Tyler Loehr fell to 1-3 on the year, giving up eight hits and eight runs (six earned) in 2.2 innings pitched in game one. Billy Hurley improved to 2-0, throwing two scoreless innings to end game two.
With one out in the top of the first, singles by Michael Dushane and Jordan Chiero with Carlos Garcia reaching on a fielding error loaded the bases. Osborne followed with a two-RBI double and Garcia would score on a two-out single by Val Helldobler. Osborne later stole home to give Smith a four-run cushion.
That was more than enough for Smith. Smith was perfect through three and was spotted an 11-0 lead before he even allowed a walk. Tiffin scored five more in the third and two more in the fourth before a walk by C.J. Maszel broke up the perfecto in the bottom of the fourth. For TU in the third, it was two-out lightning. With one runner on, McCutcheon singled and Curtin tripled to plate a pair of runs. Dushane added an infield RBI single to push the advantage to a touchdown before a walk and a triple by Garcia extended the Tiffin lead to 9-0.
McCutcheon added an RBI single and Curtin an RBI double in the fourth with an RBI triple by Chiero in the seventh concluding the Dragons' scoring.
However, Smith remained relentless on the mound. To make things interesting in the bottom of the fifth, he gave up a single, two walks to load the bases and a full count on the leadoff hitter for WSU, but Donnie won the battle on the eighth pitch, forcing a foul flyout to right field. Wayne State went in order the final two frames as Tiffin won by 12.
Game two looked like it would be all Wayne State early, but Tiffin remained relentless. Maszal for WSU began the game reaching on a wild pitch after striking out and a one-out hit by pitch and walk loaded the bases for the home team. A walk, a single by Andrew Ciennik and a sacrifice fly put WSU up 3-0 after one. A single tally in the bottom of the second put TU in a 4-0 hole.
Tiffin did not relent, adding five runs in the middle innings. Osborne started it with a three-run blast in the fourth while a single run in the fourth tied it up. Tiffin started with runners at second and third with none down, but Brett Shankin held TU to one on a sacrifice fly and a pair of strikeouts. Tiffin took the 5-4 lead thanks to a fielder's choice RBI in the sixth.
Wayne State tallied four in the bottom of the sixth to take the 8-5 advantage. Four straight hits with one down gave WSU the lead for good before a two-run single by Alex Trojan added the insurance WSU needed to earn the split.
Tiffin returns to action tomorrow with another two seven-inning sets Sunday (April 3). First pitch of game one is set for noon.
