Faced with the prospect of losing both ends of a doubleheader in its first games at the newly-renovated Ralph Tomassi Stadium at Donges Field on Tuesday (March 29) afternoon, Ashland University's baseball team scraped together runs in the sixth and seventh innings of a 2-1 Game 2 victory.
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Senior shortstop
Austin Eifrid's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh in the nightcap gave the Eagles the split, while sophomore right-hander
Justin Dyksma (2-1) authored a complete-game three-hitter, allowing a run and a walk and striking out nine.
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Tiffin won Tuesday's opener, 9-5.
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"It was a good win in Game 2," said Ashland head coach
John Schaly. "Dyskma pitched a great game. If you have pitching and defense, you are always in the game. If you get the big hit, you win it.
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"I wouldn't want anyone else (Eifrid) at the plate. I knew he was going to put the ball in play."
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The Eagles are 10-8 overall and 3-3 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, while the Dragons are 13-12, 8-2.
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WHAT HAPPENED
- After the Dragons opened the scoring in Game 1 with a run in the top of the first inning, Tiffin added two more runs in the top of the fourth to increase their lead to 3-0.
- In the bottom of the fifth, Ashland got on the board and took the lead thanks to a two-run single by first baseman Micah Allen, a two-run double from freshman designated hitter Ian Sanders, and a bunt RBI single from graduate assistant-turned-catcher Brady Cottom.
- Tiffin scored two runs in the top of the sixth to knot the score at 5-all, then took the lead in the top of the seventh with a run. The Dragons added a three-spot in the top of the ninth for insurance.
- Sanders and Cottom each had two of AU's 11 hits, and Allen and Sanders each drove in two runs. Senior righty Josh Stover (0-2) threw 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing two hits, one run and a walk and striking out one.
- In the nightcap, the scoreless tie was broken in the top of the fifth when Tiffin plated a run. Ashland re-tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by senior designated hitter Tim Zeller – setting up Eifrid's heroics in the bottom of the seventh.
- "That was huge," Eifrid said. "We definitely needed to get one in the W column, especially after a tough first game."
- Said Dyksma, "It's a huge split. Tiffin's always good. Just coming back from a tough loss and getting a W, that's all that matters."
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UP NEXT
Ashland and Tiffin will finish the series with two more games at Donges Field on Wednesday (March 30) at 1:30 p.m.
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