The Tiffin University baseball team garnered a split on Sunday afternoon, falling in game three 7-6, but winning the final regular season game of the 2016 season 3-1.
Game Three
Both sides were quiet through two innings, but the scoreless streak came to a halt in the 3rd. The Dragons jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Devon Fisk's RBI single, scoring Kyle Lento. Grand Valley countered with a pair in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 advantage.
Tiffin exploded in the 4th, scoring five runs. Garrett Vernau began the big inning with a double that plated two runs. Fernando Nieto then singled to score Vernau to give the Dragons a 4-2 lead. Kurt Barbeau drove home the final two runs of the frame with a single, scoring John Heckman and Kyle Lento to push the Dragons ahead 6-2.
The Lakers pushed two home in the bottom of the 4th, and then plated three more to regain the lead at 7-6. The Laker bullpen held the Dragons off the board in the 5th, 6th, and 7th to preserve a 7-6 victory.
Brady Ward took the loss in relief, tossing two innings. Garrett Vernau finished 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI's and a run scored. Kurt Barbeau also drove in two runs in the contest.
Game Four
Luke Fraley was handed the ball for the final game of the series and season for TU, and baffled Lakers all game long.
Fraley's offense aided his cause, jumping ahead 1-0 in the 3rd inning, using an Elijah Sanabria single back up the box to score Kurt Barbeau. Tiffin added another run in the 4th with a Ryan Davis double to left center field scoring Isaac Perry, giving Tiffin a 2-0 lead.
The Dragons added another insurance run in the 6th, as Garrett Vernau pushed Isaac Perry to the plate with a single to left field to propel the Dragons ahead 3-0. The Lakers broke up Fraley's attempt at a shutout in the 6th, but Luke didn't flinch, retiring the final batter of the contest via the strikeout to seal a 3-1 Dragon victory.
Luke Fraley earned the win, pitching 7 innings, allowing one run, while punching out five. At the plate, Isaac Perry was 2 for 4 with two of the three Tiffin runs scored, and Ryan Davis finished 1 for 2 with a double and a run batted in.
Tiffin finishes the season 21-29 overall and 12-20 in GLIAC play.
