Upset! Tornadoes knock out No. 2 Bulldogs

DEFIANCE – After a 5-1 win over Mansfield Madison Tuesday night, Columbian coach Nick Weber said whenever his team has Isaiah Tilse on the mound, he likes his chances. The chance Thursday was a Division III sectional final at No. 1 Defiance. The Tornadoes played an excellent game from start to finish as they upset and knocked out the Bulldogs, 6-0. "Honestly it is cliché, but we just played free and played loose because I've been telling them since Tuesday, we had absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain tonight," Weber said in a phone interview after the massive upset Thursday. "We told them it could be one of the last times they're every going to get to play with each other, so let's have some fun. "I can't say enough about every single guy on the team whether it was in the dugout, on the field … the energy was great."TC (10-14) started well as Jayce Arias singled, Tilse singled and then Blake Gaulden singled in the third inning all bringing in a run to give the Tornadoes a 3-0 lead.That was certainly enough for Tilse on the mound, but TC added two insurance runs in the fifth and then tacked one on in the sixth.TC out-hit the Bulldogs 10-4 as Arias and Tilse each tallied three hits, Jaxon Little added two, Bradley Willman singled and drove in a pair of runs in the fifth and Ethan Wilcox singled."We just executed. We had some nice bunts, which we didn't do on Tuesday," Weber said. "Arias had a really good bunt, Jaxon had a really good game at the top of the order and then Willman who has been struggling this season, we switched him back to the cleanup spot and with two guys on he ropes a single to left. "These guys deserve it. They love each other and I'm just really happy for these guys."Tilse went the distance on the mound after closing out the win just two days ago. He gave up just four hits and struck out six with no walks."With Tilse … I don't even know else I can say about him. He competes his butt off," Weber said. "He was getting up there in the pitch count there and he looked at me and said: 'I'm fine. Don't take me out.' When he said that, you have to ride him. "He had them out front and guessing a lot at pitches. His pitch location was great tonight."Now, the Tornadoes get essentially a home game next Thursday at 2 p.m. at Paradiso Complex at Tiffin University in a district semifinal against the winner of Lexington and Mansfield Senior.But with such a huge win and knocking out one of the favorites to win a state title in D-III, the district is wide open."I've been saying that we've been getting better every day and playing a little more clean," Weber said. "But after this game, this is the team we can be. Having Isaiah on the mound helps, but seeing one of the top arms we've seen all year tonight and earning those runs, it gives us confidence. "Next, we play at home at TU, which we're excited for, but to come to a legendary facility in the state of Ohio tonight and not balk at all and to face them head on, I hope it carries over."