MASON, Ohio – It was playoff perfection for Tiffin as the No. 7 seed in the bracket overcame substantial odds to win it all as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Championship concluded Saturday at Prasco Park.
The Dragons defeated No. 5 seed Kentucky Wesleyan by a final score of 9-6 to punch their ticket to the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional.
As the league’s automatic qualifier, TU will learn of its extended postseason destination during the NCAA Selection Show airing on Sunday night at 10 p.m. ET.
The Dragons were certainly in the driver’s seat going into the championship series, but the pressure was still on to produce on the field and bring home the coveted championship trophy.
With the help of a seven-run explosion in the third inning, Tiffin’s players streamed on to the field as John Heckman caught a fly ball in right field for the final out.
The celebration was underway as teammates met each other around the pitcher’s mound and formed a huge dog pile before receiving hats, t-shirts and mini replicas from their postseason glory.
A Tiffin few seniors were also able to douse head coach Joe Wilkins with a water bath, stealthily surprising their skipper from behind.
The Dragons weren’t expected to make this much noise as the No. 7 seed, but the narrative of stingy pitching and timely hitting made Wilkins’ crew a force to be reckoned with from day one.
And Tiffin’s road to the top certainly was not easy, needing to beat Kentucky Wesleyan twice, No. 2 Ohio Dominican and No. 3 Trevecca Nazarene.
For Kentucky Wesleyan, it was a tough ending to another deep playoff run as the Panthers made the championship series for the third year in a row. Going into Saturday needing to win two games, the Panthers still hit the ball with authority and plated runs, but just quite couldn’t keep pace.
Tiffin threatened to run-rule Kentucky Wesleyan with an 8-0 lead at the end of three innings. The Panthers countered with a four-run fourth frame and put the tying runs on base in the top of the eighth inning, but the Dragons were able to escape any further damage.
Working on just three days of rest, Great Midwest Pitcher of the Year Devin Smith gave it his all as Tiffin hitters stayed selective and patient at the plate.
Smith was dealt his first loss of the season (8-1) while turning things over to the bullpen after two innings of work.
TU’s Cody Orr was a home run away from the cycle as he finished 3-for-3 leading off, Aaron Gonzalez blasted a home run to deep left field and John Heckman and Jack Dennis had two RBI each.