Urbana University softball dropped a pair of non-conference games to Tiffin on Thursday in the home opener at Blue Knight Field.
The Blue Knights fell 10-1 in the opening game and came up short 12-3 in the second matchup.
Following the pair of losses, UU dropped to 2-14 overall and suffered its ninth straight defeat. Tiffin improved to 8-11 on the season with the two road victories while snapping a 10-game losing streak.
Both games on Thursday ended after five innings after Tiffin registered a big scoring frame during each contest.
In Game 1, UU led 1-0 for the first two frames following a clutch two-out RBI single by sophomore Bailee Faulkner. The visitors tied the game in the third and then grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth as a close game ensued with solid pitching on both sides.
Then, the floodgates opened.
After the first five batters reached base, the Dragons poured on eight runs in the fifth inning to build a comfortable lead. UU could not solve TU starting pitcher Tiffany Snell, who retired 10 straight to close the game after a two-out single by senior Briana Bamber in the second.
The Blue Knights committed two of their five defensive errors on the day in the first game and three in Game 2.
In Game 2, UU again jumped out to a quick lead after one inning with a 2-1 advantage.
Sophomore Mykee Holtz produced a deep RBI double to plate junior Jenna VanHoose, and before the play was over, senior Margo Jackson sneaked past third base with heads up base-running to cross the plate while the TU infielders were distracted.
However, another big inning from the Dragons occurred in the second as nine runners were pushed across the plate. Holtz knocked home another run on a two-out single, but it was too little, too late for UU.
Holtz and VanHoose both finished with two hits, while Bamber and Jackson both singled. Tiffin totaled nine hits against UU pitchers Carly Allen and Izzy Helm.
UU opens conference play this weekend with two home doubleheaders. The Blue Knights host Wheeling Jesuit on Saturday at 2 p.m. and West Liberty on Sunday at 1 p.m.
