SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Tigers had their ups and downs against Wilmington Tuesday night, but came out on top in dramatic fashion with a game-winning RBI single from sophomore first baseman Chris Dorka (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington).
Wilmington jumped out to a two run lead after starting pitcherBobby Ciucki (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) had some trouble locating the strike zone. After giving up a leadoff triple, Ciucki walked the bases loaded and then walked in a run, a single led to Wilmington's second run. Ciucki worked himself out of the jam by forcing a groundout at home and then a 4-6-3 double play. The Tigers struck back with two of their own in the bottom of the first
Not much action to speak of in the second inning as both teams went three-up, three-down. In the third, the Tigers fell to errors as they allowed the first two Wilmington batters to reach. Ciucki would give up three unearned runs before being relieved by Tim Antil (Brookville, Ohio/Northmont), who benefitted from a botched squeeze bunt, then earned himself a strikeout to get out of the inning without further damage.
In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers gave Wilmington a chance to get out of a bad situation relatively unscathed. The Wilmington hurler walked three straight to start, and senior catcher Matt Steinke (Wapakoneta, Ohio/St. Mary's Memorial)capitalized with an RBI single. With the bases still loaded, the Tigers then proceeded to strike out swinging three straight times, letting the pressure off Wilmington.
The Quakers rang up Antil for one run in the top of the fourth inning, but that would be the last time either team got on the board until the sixth, when Wittenberg scored two to almost even things up. In the seventh, the Tigers would jump out on top with another two runs to take a one-run advantage into the eighth frame. Those runs came courtesty a Steinke RBI double to drive in senior leftfielder Jeremey Fruhwirth (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek), and a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman centerfielder Ray Noe (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) to score Steinke.
The Tigers maintained their one-run edge until the ninth, when Zach Spring (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty), who relieved Antil to start the seventh, allowed an RBI single into left center to tie the score. Sophomore Darin Mumaw (Fort Loramie, Ohio/Fort Loramie) then entered the game to relieve Spring, and quickly ended Wilmington's push with a fly out and a groundout.
In the Tiger ninth, Fruhwirth started things off with a big single, trying hard to prevent extra innings. Once on base, he was replaced by freshman Colin Puthoff (Houston, Ohio/Russia), who advanced to second on a passed ball before junior rightfielder Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) was intentionally walked. After a fly out from Steinke, it was Dorka's turn. He nailed a single into the right field corner, putting enough distance between the Quaker right fielder and home to allow Puthoff to round third and score, bringing with him the win for the Tigers.
Mumaw picks up the win for the night, while offensively the Tigers were led by Dorka (3-5, 3 RBI), Steinke (3-5, 2 RBI), and Noe (2-3, 1 RBI).
The Tigers rest for a day before hosting Heidelberg on Thursday for a nine-inning game, beginning at 4 p.m.