WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Tiger baseball team carried a one-run lead into the ninth inning on Monday, but the Albion Britons carried the day with two runs to walk off with a 9-8 decision.

Wittenberg fell to 0-3 on the young season in an offense-packed game. The Tigers amassed 15 hits while Albion slapped 12.

Wittenberg jumped out to a 5-2 lead after two innings after an unearned run in the first and four runs in the second. Junior Zac Wilson (Eaton, Ohio/Eaton) started the four-run burst with an RBI single and senior Tyler Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio/Cincinnati Moeller) continued it with a two-run double before senior Tyler Grau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) singled the last run in.

The Tigers added a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by freshman Ben Dobrowolski (Milford, Ohio/Milford) and another in the sixth on a sac fly by Hutchinson, taking a 7-2 lead before Albion answered with a tally in the sixth and two in the seventh. Wittenberg scored once in the top of the eighth as Hutchinson drove in another run.

Albion went on to post two runs in the eighth to cut the lead to 8-7, and scored twice in the ninth to tie the game and go ahead for the win.

Hutchinson compiled a line of four RBIs on a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Wilson drove in a run while going 2-for-4 with two runs and a pair of stolen bases. Senior David Moore (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) also nabbed two bags while going 1-for-3 with two runs and two walks.

Grau finished 2-for-5 with an RBI, Dobrowolski was 1-for-4 with an RBI, and freshman Josh Kaplan (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) went 3-for-5 on the day.

The Tigers continue their Spring Break trip at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, with a nine-inning game versus Penn St.-Altoona.

John Strawn '07