GROVE CITY, Pa. – Good hitting from the top of the lineup plus a solid performance by Tomcat pitcher Bobby Hillier (Brook Park, Ohio/Midpark) helped Thiel take game one of a three-game set with Grove City College by a score of 9-4.

The one through three hitters in the Tomcat lineup combine to hit 6-of-13 from the dish with three RBIs and three runs scored as Doug Farley (Linesville, Pa./Linesville) and Eric King (Butler, Pa./Butler) each went 2-for-4 and Eric Steininger (West Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg) finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Billy Roosa (Salamanca, N.Y./Ellicottville) also had a solid day at the plate with a 2-for-5 performance as well as two RBIs.

The Wolverines got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning as they took advantage of a pass ball to bring a runner home on a routine 5-to-3 play to put the Wolverines up 1-0. Thiel would then storm back in the top of the second inning when Roosa led off the inning with a double and then stole third. After a walk issued to Weston Snyder (Cranesville, Pa./Northwestern), Roosa and Snyder successfully pulled off a double steal which allowed Roosa to score to tie the game at one. Ryan Dixon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) then came through with his 14^th RBI of the year on a single the scored Snyder to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Tomcats. The third RBI of the inning was credited to King who doubled in Farley after he reached base on a walk, making the score 3-1.

After Grove City pulled within one at 3-2 in the bottom of the third, the Tomcats responded with a run in the top of the fifth when an error on the short stop allowed Phil Double (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley) to cross the plate to make the score 4-2. Grove City would then tie the game at four with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings.

Thiel would then pull away in the final frames as they would score three in the eighth. With RBI hits from Cody Trinch (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) and Eric Steininger (West Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg), Thiel extended the lead to 7-4. They would then add two more runs in the top of the ninth inning on a two run blast by Roosa, marking the third time this season that Roosa has hit a home run.

Hillier seemed to only get stronger as the game progressed and shut the door on the Wolverines in the final three frames, allowing just one hit and one walk while registering four of his seven strikeouts over the last three innings. He finished the day with his first career complete game allowing just two earned runs and seven hits through nine innings of work.

The Tomcats will continue the series against the Wolverines with a double header on Saturday at Tomcat Park in Greenville, Pa. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.