The Tiffin University baseball team dropped both games of their twin bill on Friday afternoon, falling 7-5 and 7-6.
Game One
It didn't take long for Walsh to get into the swing of things, cracking a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st to put the Dragons down a run. Tiffin tied the score a half inning later, using an Elijah Sanabria single to plate Kyle Durham.
The Cavaliers chalked up a five spot in the bottom of the 3rd, scoring five runs on six hits and an error, while chasing Dragon starter Mike Cooperider from the contest. Tiffin, now trailing 6-1, went to work with the bats in the top of the 4th. TU used four hits and two Walsh errors to plate four runs. Even though Tiffin had produced the four runs, they were still left wondering what might have been, having left the bases loaded at the conclusion of the half inning.
Reliever Weylin Frisbie did his part to keep the Dragons in the game, holding the Cavaliers off the board in the 4th and 5th innings. The Dragon offense had their opportunities, but stranded two runners in the 5th and two more in the 6th. The Cavalier offense added an insurance run in their half of the 6th, using another solo shot to make it a 7-5 game. Tiffin put two runners aboard in the 7th inning, but a strikeout and ground out put an end to their comeback hopes.
Mike Cooperider took the loss on the mound, surrendering 6 runs, 4 earned over 2 2/3 innings of work. At the plate, Elijah Sanabria was 3 for 3 with two runs batted in and a run scored.
Game Two
The home runs carried over into the night cap for the Cavaliers, bashing a two run shot in the bottom of the 1st, putting the Dragons down 2-0 early.
The Tiffin offense was kept quiet for the first four innings of the game, but roared to life in the top of the 5th. Fernando Nieto drew a one out walk to start the rally. An error allowed Alec McCurry to reach and Nieto to move to third, and Isaac Perry's ringing double to center field allowed Nieto to scamper home. Nick Hueneburg, having seen three Walsh homers, responded with a Dragon bomb, scoring McCurry, Perry and himself to give Tiffin a 4-2 lead.
Walsh, having done so in game one, responded to the Tiffin offensive outburst with three runs on four hits to regain the lead at 5-4.
The Dragon offense made one last push in the top of the 8th, scoring the tying and go ahead runs. Kyle Durham's bouncer to second base allowed Elijah Sanabria to score, and Kurt Barbeau's ground out brought Kyle Lento home, giving the Dragons a 6-5 lead.
With one down in the bottom of the 8th, Walsh put a runner aboard via a single. A sac bunt and wild pitch later, the tying run stood at third base with two outs. The Dragons, needing one more out to escape danger, surrendered their 4th home run of the day, allowing the Cavaliers to take a 7-6 lead into the 9th inning. In the top of the 9th, Tiffin put the tying run in scoring position, but couldn't get the runner to the plate, falling 7-6.
On the mound, Luke Fraley took the loss in relief, pitching one inning, surrendering two runs. Offensively, Elijah Sanabria collected three more hits, finishing 3 for 5 with a run scored. Nick Hueneburg supplied the power, going 2 for 5 with a three run homer.
The two losses drop the Dragons to 7-11 overall and 0-2 in GLIAC play. The Dragons will conclude their four game set tomorrow afternoon with game one starting at 12:00 pm.
