The Tiffin University baseball team fell to the Ashland Eagles on Friday afternoon by the final count of 3-2. The contest saw a steady diet of rain throughout.
The Dragons sent Logan Sendelbach to the mound, and after a rocky first inning, held Ashland in check through the middle innings. The Eagles plated their first run on a bouncing ball hit to first baseman Jack Dennis that allowed leadoff hitter Stephen James to trot home.
The Tiffin offense was opposed by Ashland starter Jake Baldwin. Baldwin entered the game 4-0 on the season and mowed down the Dragons until the 3rd inning. In that inning, Tiffin's Cole McCurry lined a double down the left field line to move into scoring position. Nick Calandra then reached on an error by Ashland's shortstop. With runners at first and third, Nick Hueneburg smacked a towering fly ball that almost cleared the left center field fence. McCurry scored on the double by Hueneburg, and Calandra galloped to third. The rally came to an end with Baldwin recording a strikeout and fly out, but Tiffin had tied the score at 1-1.
Ashland's next scoring opportunity developed in a flash in the 5th inning. An infield single followed by a throwing error put a man on at second base. Then lead off batter Stephen James cracked a towering two run home run to right field to give Ashland a 3-1 lead.
The Dragons gave it their best shot in the 6th. Alex Hartley walked to start the inning, and was pinch run for by Elijah Sanabria. After Baldwin recorded back to back fly outs, Jack Dennis bashed a double to deep right center field to push Sanabria home, and Tiffin was down 3-2. The rally ended with a strikeout, and the tying run was left stranded at second.
In the 7th, the Dragons put the tying run aboard, but could not move the runner any further than first base.
Logan Sendelbach took the loss on the mound, throwing 6 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs, all earned, and fanned 6. At the plate, Tiffin only managed 5 hits against the Ashland hurlers. Nick Hueneburg was 1 for 3 with an RBI double, and Jack Dennis was 1 for 3 with an RBI double.
Game two was postponed due to poor playing conditions, and because after the 3rd inning, the rain never stopped. The loss drops the Dragons to 11-15 overall and 5-4 in GLIAC play. Tiffin will take on the Eagles tomorrow in a twin bill, starting at 1:00 pm.
