Tiffin University baseball (14-21, 9-9 G-MAC) earned a sweep over Northwood on Saturday at the Paradiso Athletic Complex, defeating the Timberwolves 5-1 in game one while holding on for a 5-4 win in game two.
Tiffin made Northwood pay for their defensive miscues as nine of the 10 runs scored by the Dragons were unearned. The Timberwolves committed three errors in each game, while the Dragons only committed one in the 16 innings played on Saturday.
Game 1:
The Dragons got off to a good start and led 3-0 after two. In the first, Griff Cady led off with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jovanny Skrelja. With two outs, Jayden Leach scored on an RBI single by Dylan Ruhe.
TU tacked on two more in the sixth, taking advantage of another error by Northwood. Michael Patellis reached on the error and scored on a bunt single by Gavin Marceric and with two outs, Luke Westerman scored on an RBI single by Brayden Clark.
Northwood's lone run came with two outs in the seventh off reliever Brett Madison. Madison shut down the Timberwolves quietly in the final two innings.
NU found zero success against starter Brandon Swope, who earned the win in 6.0 innings of work. Swope struck out six, scattered three hits and walked two while not allowing a run. Madison pitched the final 3.0 innings to earn his second save of the season. Madison struck out two and allowed one run on three hits.
Clark led the offense going 2 for 4 while seven hitters recorded at least one hit each.
Game 2:
After a quiet first three innings, the final four innings provided plenty of action in this one. Northwood started the inning with three straight hits to take a 1-0 lead and a throwing error by TU starter Johnathon Ray plated another, but with runners on second and third with no outs, Ray escaped without any further damage.
TU cut the lead in half in the fourth as the Dragons took advantage of a dropped fly ball. With two on and nobody out, Leach singled home Cady to make it 2-1 and a sacrifice bunt by Adam Deitschel put runners on second and third with one out, but the next two batters went down swinging to end the inning.
Tiffin took the lead in the fifth scoring three. Westerman scored on an RBI single by Cady and with two outs, a throwing error by Northwood's third basemen scored two to make it 4-2 Dragons.
The Dragons added a massive run in the fifth, once again taking advantage of a Northwood error. With two outs, Patellis singled and advanced to second on a fielding error by the left fielder and then scored on an RBI single by Westerman to make it 5-2.
In the seventh, Ray walked the leadoff batter and a bloop double down the left field line with two outs made it 5-4. Following a wild pitch and another walk, Brock Polilli relieved Ray and got the final out of the inning that was a lineout to the centerfielder Skrelja to earn the save and secure the sweep.
Ray got the win and improved to 3-5 on the mound. Ray went 6.2 innings and struck out seven, allowing eight hits and four runs (three earned) while walking thee. Polilli nailed down his fourth save of the season after recording the final out.
Cady led the offense going 2 for 3 and scored two runs.
