The Tiffin University baseball team nearly pulled off the twin bill sweep on Friday, falling just short in game two. The Dragons cruised in the opener 10-2, and fell 7-6 in the nightcap.
Game One
Tiffin starting pitcher Luke Fraley was masterful on the mound for Tiffin. His wizardry on the mound was equalled by the thunderous bats of the Tiffin offense. The Dragons started denting the scoreboard early and often in the opener, plating two runs on a pair of hits. A single, sac bunt, walk, and wild pitch put two runners in scoring position. Alec McCurry then foreshadowed what the rest of his day would look like, nailing a single up the middle to put Tiffin up 1-0. Ryan Thomas pushed home the final run of the inning, with a fielders choice to give the Dragons a 2-0 advantage.
Fraley got the bats back up to the plate quickly, and his offense stayed hot. The Dragons loaded the bases with one out for freshman Zach Campbell. The youngster slapped an opposite field single to left field to push two runs home to give Tiffin a 4-0 lead. McCurry made sure he left his mark on the inning, hammering a single to left field to score two and make it 6-0.
The Warriors finally got on the board in the 3rd, using a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1. Tiffin quickly got that run back the next half inning, using McCurry's run scoring single to right field to make it 7-1 Tiffin.
The Dragons hammered home the final nails in the Warriors' coffin in the 6th, pushing home three runs on four hits. McCurry got the scoring started in the frame, lacing a double down the left field line to score the 8th run of the game. Jack Dennis rounded out the scoring with a single to right field that plated two to make it 10-1. The Warriors scratched a run home in the bottom of the 7th, but Luke Fraley finished what he started with a complete game.
Fraley hurled seven innings for Tiffin, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs. Fraley moves to 4-4 on the season. At the plate Alec McCurry was the star, finishing 4 for 4 with five runs batted in. Brayden Callihan finished 2 for 4 with three runs scored, and Zach Campbell finished 1 for 3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
Game Two
The second game started well for Tiffin, as the Dragons opened with three runs in the top of the 1st. A Callihan walk and Campbell single started for Dragons. John Heckman then cracked a double to left field to give Tiffin a 1-0 lead. A fielding error by Wayne State allowed the second run of the inning to score, and Jack Dennis singled home the final run of the inning with an infield single.
In the 2nd inning Alec McCurry made it 4-0 Tiffin with a single to right field. The Warriors returned fire in their half of the 2nd, cutting Tiffin's lead in half at 4-2. Jack Dennis got one run back for Tiffin, launching a solo home run to right field to push Tiffin's lead to 5-2. Wayne State countered with a run to pull their deficit back to two runs at 5-3.
The 5th inning was a disaster for Tiffin, allowing the Warriors to take their first lead of the day. Wayne State plated four runs on three hits and two errors.
In the 6th Tiffin managed to push home a single run, but it could have been more. The Dragons stranded a pair of runners after loading the bases with no outs.
The Warriors shutdown Tiffin in the final inning, preserving a 7-6 Warrior win.
Alec McCurry and Jack Dennis paced the Tiffin offense, both collecting a pair of runs batted in. Dennis also finished with three hits, including a solo home run.
The Dragons move to 11-19 overall and 5-10 in the GLIAC.