SAGINAW, Mich. - To quote the late, great Jackie Gleason, "How sweet it is!"
The Dragons' Amber Young was able to pitch out of a jam in the first while TU responded with three of its own in the bottom of the inning as Tiffin (39-12) knocked off Ashland (32-17) in the championship game of the 2011 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at the Saginaw Valley State Softball Complex.
Tiffin was able to claim the outright regular season and tournament conference championships despite having no representatives on the First Team All-GLIAC squads.
"We won, that is all I have," said GLIAC Coach of the Year Jeff Nickerson.
Amber Young (14-4) notched the win in the circle for the Dragons, allowing one earned run and two hits with five strikeouts.
It was her second complete game shutout of the tournament, as she went 3-0 with two complete games and allowing only one run on five hits in 14.1 innings pitched (0.49 ERA).
Mindy Meredith, who contributed a huge complete game win Friday night against Grand Valley State, was the catalyst for the Dragons from the plate, going 1-for-2 with three RBI's. Caitlin Houk added an exclamation point on the weekend with a pinch hit solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.
Logan Hursey picked up the loss for Ashland, allowing three unearned runs on three hits and two walks in 0.2 innings pitched. Lyndsey Brandt and Brianna Woody provided the only hits for Ashland with Tawna Garver adding a sacrifice fly.
It looked as if Ashland might snatch momentum right off the bat in the top of the first when it loaded the bases with one out, but Young struck out Cayla Seidler and Tawna Garver to end the threat.
As she did in yesterday's game against the Eagles, Stephanie Bobotas reached on an error to leadoff the game for the TU offense. Amanda Temple and Meagan Baird later walked to load the bases for Meredith. Meredith knocked through a two-RBI single and Baird hustled to third. Lesy Herbert contributed an RBI single before Ashland went to its ace, Emlyn Knerem. She struck out the next batter, but the damage was done and Tiffin led 3-0 after one.
Both teams pretty much went in order until Tiffin scored a pivotal run in the bottom of the fifth to put further pressure on Ashland. Temple led off the inning with a double, was sacrificed to third and scored on Meredith's sacrifice fly.
The Eagles brought the tying run to the plate with no outs in the top of the sixth, but a mere sacrifice fly produced the lone AU run. With the bases juiced, Seidler hit a grounder to third that Temple scooped up and threw home for the force out. Garver followed with a sacrifice fly, but a fly ball to left with a full count ended Ashland's last threat.
For good measure, Houk went yard to the deepest part of the ballpark in the bottom of the sixth for her second round-tripper of the season.
With the victory, Tiffin returns to action in the opening round of the 2011 NCAA Division II Softball Championships. The site is to be determined, most likely at Grand Valley State or Saginaw Valley State. Check in with GoTiffinDragons.com for the latest information.
