The Tiffin University baseball team kept right on rolling through the month of April, winning their sixth straight game. The Dragons have now won 10 of their last 15 games in the month, using excellent starting pitching to take a pair of games from Ashland University 3-2 and 9-1.
Game One
Ricky Krieger trotted to the hill for the opening game, allowing a single run in the top half of the 1st on a pair of hits. The Tiffin offense found their groove in the bottom half of the 2nd, using a two out extra base hit to plate both runs. An Isaac Perry single and Jack Dennis walk put two runners on. Right fielder Kurt Barbeau delivered both runners home safely with a liner down the right field line that enabled Barbeau to cruise to third base for a triple.
With a 2-1 lead, Krieger danced out of danger in the 3rd, stranding the bases loaded with a punch out to preserve the lead. The Eagles manufactured the tying run in the 5th, using a sacrifice fly to do so.
The game remained tied headed to the Dragons' last at bat, and heroics were needed for a Tiffin win. Kyle Durham was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and moved to second when Kurt Barbeau reached on an error. An intentional walk to Jay Smith loaded the bases for Tiffin, and Alec McCurry was given the task of knocking home the winning run. McCurry lined a ball back up the box that one hopped the second baseman and ricocheted into left field, bringing home the winning run.
Krieger pitched from stem to stern for Tiffin, earning his third win of the season with his first complete game. Offensively, the Dragons were paced by Kurt Barbeau's three hits and two RBI's. Isaac Perry chipped in with a pair of hits, including a triple and a run scored.
Game Two
The Dragons were opportunistic in game two, denting the plate early and often.
After a scoreless 1st inning was turned in by both starting pitchers, it was Tiffin that landed a knockout blow in the 2nd round. The Dragons plated seven runs on seven hits and four Eagles' errors. Isaac Perry brought home the first run on a fielder's choice, then Jack Dennis singled home another run to make it 2-0. Back to back errors allowed both Perry and Dennis to score to give Tiffin a 4-0 edge. Jay Smith singled to plate another run, and a bobble by the outfielder for Ashland allowed Barbeau to score giving Tiffin a half dozen runs. The final run came on Alec McCurry's single to right field.
The crafty right-hander, Marc Deitsch, worked his magic throughout his outing, allowing only three hits through five innings. His offense tacked on another run in the bottom half of the 5th to make it 8-0 Dragons. Kurt Barbeau picked up another run batted in with a line drive single to right field that turned into two more bases on an error.
Deitsch kept the Eagles grounded until the 8th inning, surrendering his first run of the game on an extra base hit. It was the only time the Eagles made it home as Tiffin cruised to a 9-1 win.
Deitsch earned his first win of the season, allowing one run on five hits while striking out six in eight innings of work. The most impressive number in Marc's stat line is 0, the number of walks he allowed.
At the plate, McCurry turned in a 3 for 4 performance with a run scored and a run batted in. Kurt Barbeau stayed hot with two more hits and a run batted in, and Jay Smith scored a run and collected a RBI.
The Dragons move to 22-17 overall and 14-8 in GLIAC play, sitting one game out of 3rd place.