Bethany, West Virginia (April 25, 2009) -- In a doubleheader that spanned 24 innings of play, the PAC matchup between the Thiel College Tomcats and Bethany Bison reflected a battle of attrition more than a softball game.  While the 'Cats put a valiant effort that a included a record shattering performance by sophomore pitcher, Emily Batiz (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg Area), they, in the end, would succumb to the constant pressure of Bison, as they dropped both contests, 2-3 and 1-2.

Batiz was the definition of dominance over her seven innings of work in game one, as she accumulated a Thiel College record book destroying 18 strikeouts.  This is the third time in four starts that Batiz has tallied double digit strikeouts in a game.

Over the course of her masterful seven innings of work, Thiel could only scrape together single run when it was their turn to bat.  While this proved to be enough over the first six innings of play, a Bison RBI double in the seventh would stretch this game into extra innings.

The Bison and Tomcat's would play each other to a stalemate of the next ten innings of softball, with each team managing to generate only a single run, keeping the score knotted at two headed into the 17th inning.  

This would be the inning when the 'Cats would succumb to the constant pressure of the Bison in the form of an RBI single to end the contest.

Offensively, Thiel was lead by sophomore leadoff hitter, Laura Davin (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), who finished the game 5-for-8 with an RBI, while junior infielder, Stephanie Smith (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny), went 3-for-8 at the dish.  Melissa Rankin (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) and Britain Callen (Andover, OH/Pymatuning Valley) each contributed a pair of hits in the loss.

Game two saw Thiel once again take a one run lead in the third inning and, on strength of a strong pitching performance by Kristen Moreland (Dover, Ohio/Dover), maintain the lead through six and two thirds of an inning.  But, late inning heroics in the form of an RBI triple and an RBI single by Bison sealed the fate of the Tomcats.

Moreland went all seven innings, while giving up two runs and eight hits in the losing the effort.