GREENVILLE, PA. (March 20, 2010) – The Thiel College softball team swept the Lady Lions of Penn State Beaver on Saturday, 6-5 and 8-2.

The Tomcats needed extra innings in game one in order to conquer the visiting women of Penn State Beaver.  Through the first three innings neither team managed to gain any traction against the opposing pitcher, with both groups combining for no runs and a single hit.

In the top of the fourth, the Lady Lions started to get things going when sophomore utility player, Ashley Watkins, swatted an RBI double to put the Lionesses up a run.  The next inning would see Penn State's lead stretched to two by a run scored off an error.

In bottom of the fifth, the 'Cats roared back into contention with a lead-off solo home run by senior designated player, Ashley McLimans (Orchard Park, NY/Hamburg).  The following inning the Thiel women tied things at two runs apiece, when junior, Melissa Rankin (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth), knocked in her first RBI of the day with a double.

The Lady Lions would regain the lead in the following inning, making the score, 2-3, heading into the bottom of the seventh. 

After a table setting triple by Tomcat sophomore, Becky Betteridge (Conneaut, Ohio/Conneaut), freshmen right fielder, Ashley Rable (Warren, Ohio/Champion), scored a line drive single, sending Betteridge home and the game into extra innings.

Each team scored a run in the eighth, and in the top of the ninth Beaver went up, 5-4, over the women of Thiel when Jamie Szymarek pelted and RBI single to the outfield.

In the Bottom of the ninth, perennial all-PAC outfielder, Laura Davin (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) notched an RBI double, tying the score at five, and placing the winning run on second.  Davin wouldn't wait on base for long, however, advancing to third on a passed ball during next at bat.  With a single out in the inning, senior third base, Stephanie Smith (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny), approached the plate and stroked a grounder that proved to be too much for the Beaver shortstop to handle, giving Davin enough time to cross home plate and end game one.

Kristen Moreland (Dover, Ohio/Dover) picked up the game one victory, battling for nine complete innings, while allowing two earned runs on 10 hits.  Offensively, Rable, Rankin, and Karen Wolfe (Troy, Pa./Troy) each tallied two hits in the contest.

In game two, the Tomcats built on the momentum they gained from the previous contest and blew past the Lady Lions, scattering 11 hits and scoring six earned runs.

McLimans was the winning pitcher, going all seven innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, while striking out two.

Rankin led the Tomcats offensively, going 3-for-4 at the plate while scoring two runs.  McLimans and Moore tallied two hits and an RBI each, while Smith contributed two RBIs.

Tomcat softball returns to action Wednesday, March 24, when the Redhawks of La Roche College venture to Tomcat Park for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader match up.