Having claimed first-innings points by 26 runs on day three of its Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Bellerive Oval, Tasmania then slumped to 3-39 before bad light ended play early on Thursday afternoon.
The Redbacks quickly put aside the disappointment of being bowled out for 363 in reply to the Tigers' first-innings total of 389 in the final session, leaving skipper George Bailey (eight) and his predecessor Dan Marsh (two) the unbeaten batsmen.
With Peter George following up his 8-84 earlier in the match with 2-16 from 10 overs and Chris Duval continuing his fine day after an earlier quick-fire 53 with 1-8 from three overs, Ed Cowan was unable to emulate George.
Fresh from his 225 in the first innings Cowan fell for only 15 to George just over three overs before play was called off for the day, his dismissal coming after Jon Wells (six) and Alex Doolan (seven) had also fallen cheaply.
Earlier, the hosts had looked in complete control when SA top-scorer Cameron Borgas' dismissal just after lunch for 78 left the Redbacks on 8-303 but Duval had other ideas as he smashed three fours and three sixes en route to his 53 from only 81 balls.
The unlikely late charge from the visitors' bowlers came up short though, with paceman Tim MacDonald (3-65 from 25 overs) and spinner Jason Krejza (3-85 from 27.2 overs) the pick of the bowlers as tea was taken early following the Redbacks' dismissal.
Apart from Borgas and Duval, who spent the past few years in the Apple Isle playing first-class cricket for Tasmania before returning to his native South Australia in the off-season, the other major contributors were Daniel Harris (77) and Mark Cosgrove (49).
Having resumed at 4-220 South Australia lost skipper Graham Manou (eight) in just the fourth over of the day when he failed to play a shot and was trapped in front by Luke Butterworth (1-58) but Borgas found an ally in Aaron O'Brien as they added 46 for the sixth wicket.
O'Brien compiled a useful 17 in 79 minutes before James Faulkner (2-57) had him caught behind while Daniel Christian (14) added useful runs in a short stay that ended just before lunch when he became MacDonald's second victim.
Duval hadn't got off the mark at the break but wasted little time taking the attack to his former team-mates despite Borgas falling to MacDonald, while Jake Haberfield (four) and Peter George (six) held up the other end for a combined 77 minutes as Duval kept the Tigers sweating.
Tasmania 1st innings 389
South Australia 1st innings
Harris lbw MacDonald 70
Smith b Geeves 7
Klinger lbw b Faulkner 32
Cosgrove c Jones b Krejza 49
Borgas c Jones b MacDonald 78
Manou lbw b Butterworth 8
O'Brien c Jones b Faulkner 17
Christian c Marsh b MacDonald 14
Duval c Marsh b Krejza 53
Haberfield b Krejza 4
George not out 6
Extras: 18 (6lb, 12nb)
Total: 363 (all out, 127.2 overs)
FoW: 1-7, 2-87, 3-147, 4-204, 5-228, 6-274, 7-294, 8-303, 9-344, 10-363
Bowling
Geeves 31 - 12 - 68 - 1 (7nb)
Butterworth 26 - 6 - 58 - 1 (1nb)
MacDonald 25 - 8 - 65 - 3 (4nb)
Krejza 27.2 - 4 - 85 - 3
Faulkner 16 - 3 - 57 - 2
Marsh 1 - 0 - 16 - 0
Wells 1 - 0 - 8 - 0
Tasmania 2nd innings
Cowan lbw b George 15
Wells c Christian b George 6
Doolan lbw b Duval
Extras: 1 (1w)
Total: 39 (3 wickets, 20 overs)
FoW: 1-14, 2-29, 3-39
Bowling
George 10 - 4 - 16 - 2 (1w)
Haberfield 7 - 3 - 15 - 0
Duval 3 - 1 - 8 - 1