WASHINGTON, Pa. – Junior first baseman Justin Scarpitti (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep.) went yard for the ninth time this season to lead a three-homerun Thiel offensive that catapulted the Tomcats past top-seeded Washington & Jefferson and into the Presidents' Athletic Conference championship game for the third consecutive year.

Eric Boylan (McKees Rocks/Sto Rox) also homered in the game, but neither stood out in the 8-6 Tomcat victory like Dave Nypaver's solo shot in the bottom of the eighth.

The Presidents' rallied for two runs with one out in the top of the frame to tie the score at 6-6 before Thiel reliever Mark Brewer (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk) entered the game to record the final two outs of the inning and set the stage for Nypaver's heroics.

After the blast, Luke Johnson (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) scored on a Chad Ulogar (Willoughby, Ohio/South) single to right-centerfield to close out the game's scoring plays.

Brewer issued a two-out walk in the ninth, but retired the next W&J batter to end the game and earn the win.

Scarpitti led Thiel with four RBIs and was one of four Tomcats to score two runs on the day.

Ulogar and Johnson each scored a team- and game-high-tying two runs.

Dave Diyorio (Youngstown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch) pitched 6 1/3 strong innings for Thiel in his 11th start of the season. The junior gave up four earned runs while walking three.

Thiel will learn its opponent for Saturday's championship game after Washington & Jefferson and a to-be-determined opponent duke it out in Friday's 6 p.m. contest.