GREENVILLE, Pa. (May 9, 2010) – Junior center fielder
Luke Johnson (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) went 6-for-6, scoring three runs and driving in three more, to pace the Thiel College baseball team to a season-ending, 12-6, victory over Saint Vincent at Tomcat Park on Sunday.
Thiel ends its season at 15-25 and, with its victorious effort, denied Saint Vincent its first winning record since 2004. The Bearcats ended their season with a 20-20 mark.
Johnson – whose six hits ties the program record for hits in a game – finished his outstanding season batting .432 (70-for-162) which is the third highest single-season batting average in school history.
Thiel built an early lead and never looked back, jumping out to a 7-0 advantage before Saint Vincent put together a four-run fifth inning.
The Tomcats got two runs back in the bottom of the frame to all-but-secure the win for senior starter
Cory Borland (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands), who pitched four shutout innings to open the contest.
Reliever
Brad Bates (Kinsman, Ohio/Badger) tossed two scoreless frames before
Mike Pica (Monessen, Pa./Monessen) took over in the top of the ninth. Pica gave up two runs in the inning before inducing a season-ending double play.
Shortstop
Bobby Hillier (Brook Park, Ohio/Midpark) and catcher
Dan Gainey (Girard, Ohio/Girard) each notched two-hit games, with Gainey also tying Johnson with a team-leading three runs scored.
Left fielder
Eric King (Butler, Pa./Butler) scored two runs and batted in three more despite registering only one hit.
As if it's 15 hits weren't enough, four Thiel batters reached base after being hit by Saint Vincent starter Matt Tyson, who struggled with control over his two innings of work.
With a two-run double in the seventh inning, senior first baseman
Justin Scarpitti (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep.) earned one final Thiel record by notching his 599th career at bat. Scarpitti also owns the program's career records for runs scored (153), runs batted in (166), walks drawn (80) and putouts (1,228).