Monaca, Pa. (March 21, 2009) -- After a slow start to the season, the Thiel College softball team are starting to pick up steam, sweeping the Penn. State Lady Lions on Saturday, 7-5 and 7-6.

Game one was an epic bout between the Lions and the 'Cats, as the two teams went toe to toe for an 11 innings.  Junior pitcher, Elise Moore (Apollo, PA/Kiski), took on the bulk of the innings, going a season-high nine, while freshman lefty, Kristen Moreland (Dover, Ohio/Dover), finished things off in the last two.  Danielle Dwyer (Dalton, Ohio/Dalton) provided the timely power for the Tomcat's once again, piping a sturdy two-run blast over fence in extra innings to put the game away. 

Leading Thiel in game one was junior first base, Madison Chylik (Cuyahoga Falls, OH/Valley View) who went a 3-for-5, while sophomore catcher, Melissa Rankin (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth), finished the first contest 2-for-4.

The second game of the doubleheader started off with a bang, as Rankin crushed a 2-run bomb over the fence in the top of the first.  Rankin finished off game with three hits, while Haley Germano (Sharpsville, PA/Sharpsville), went 3-for-5 and a double.

The Tomcats have currently won four of their last six, after dropping their first six games.  The women will be looking to continue their surging ways March 23, when they make the trek to Pittsburgh, Pa. for a doubleheader against the La Roche College Redhawks in a 3:30 match up.