GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Thiel College baseball team split a pair of games on Saturday against Grove City, droping game one by a score of 4-3 and winning game two 10-5. 

After Grove City got on the board first with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning, the Tomcats scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning on RBIs by Jarod Nanna (Johnstown, Pa., Conemaugh), Jake Thomas (Canton, Ohio, Massillon Jackson) and Eric King (Butler, Pa., Butler) to give Thiel the lead 3-1.

Both teams' bats were held silent until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Wolverines scored two runs on a two RBI single that tied the game at three and sent the contest into extra innings. The Wolverines then took the victory on a RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give them the win in game one 4-3.

Offensively the Tomcats were led by second baseman Weston Snyder (Cranesville, Pa., Northwestern) and third baseman Bobby Hillier (Brook Park, Ohio, Midpark) who each went 3-for-4 at the plate.

On the mound, junior Brad Bates (Kinsman, Ohio, Badger) had another solid day as he went seven strong innings and gave up just two earned runs while striking out six.

The Tomcat hitters found their stride in game two of the double header as the offense exploded for 10 runs to defeat the Wolverines in game two 10-5.

Thiel once again got on the board quickly in the top of the first inning as Phil Double (Evans City, Pa., Seneca Valley) hit his first home run of the season to left field to make the score 2-0.

After a RBI single from King in the top of the second made the score 3-0, the Tomcats broke the game wide open with a four run inning in the top of the third. The first run came on a sacrifice fly by Nana which scored Eric Steininger (West Leechburg, Pa., Leechburg) and the second run was scored by Hillier on a single by Snyder. The other two runs were scored on a fielding error by the short stop which made the score 7-0.

After the Wolverines got two runs back in the bottom of the third inning, the Tomcats got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth on a RBI single by Hillier to make the score 8-2. Thiel would then add two more runs in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI double by King and a RBI single by Steininger to swell the Thiel lead to 10-2.

Grove City would respond with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but could get no closer as Thiel picked up the victory 10-5 to earn the split of the double header and give them an overall record of 12-9.
In the second game, the Tomcats were led offensively by King and Double who had two hits and two RBIs apiece.

Senior pitcher James Teyssier (McKees Rocks, Pa., Montour) picked up the victory in game two as he struck out three while allowing four runs in five innings of work.

Thiel will play the third game of the season against Grove City on Monday at Tomcat Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.