GREENVILLE, Pa. — The Tomcat baseball squad used three big innings to hold off a late surge by Grove City College to defeat the Wolverines 15-12 and earn a three-game sweep of the series on Tuesday afternoon in Greenville.
 
Every Tomcat collected at least one hit in the game, and five different batters drove in multiple RBIs in the win, led by Eric Steininger (West Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg)'s 3-for-5 day with three RBIs. Other hitters collecting two RBIs apiece included Eric King (Butler, Pa./Butler), Phil Double (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley), Weston Snyder (Cranesville, Pa./Northwestern), and Ryan Dixon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair). Billy Roosa (Salamanca, N.Y./Ellicottville) and Doug Farley (Linesville, Pa./Linesville) also added RBIs in the contest.
 
After Grove City scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning, the Tomcats responded in a big way by notching five runs in the bottom of the frame. A double a piece by Double and Dixon served as the catalyst for the Thiel offense who saw 11 batters come to the plate in the inning to take the 5-1 lead.
 
The Tomcats would then pile it on with four more runs in the fourth. Once again it was Double who got things going. With the bases loaded, Double roped a single down the right field line, which scored King and Farley. Roosa then singled to score Steininger, and Snyder brought in Double with a single of his own to expand the lead to 9-1.
 
After Grove City added one run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly, the Tomcats once again brought nine batters to the plate as the scored four more runs in the frame. King's two-run single was the big hit in the inning for Thiel as they ballooned their lead once again to 13-2.
 
After six solid innings of work for pitcher Brad Bates (Kinsman, Ohio/Badger), where he allowed just two earned runs, the Wolverines began to fight their way back against the Tomcat bull- pen. Grove City fought all the way back to score five runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to cut the Tomcat lead to just one run at 13-12.
 
With the game cut to one run, it was the nine through three hitters who saved the day for the Tomcats as Cody Trinch (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Farley. After King advanced Trinch to third with a single through the left side, he got himself in scoring position with a stolen base and was brought home on a two-run single by Steininger to make the score 15-12. Pitcher Cody Northcott (Cochranton, Pa./Cochranton) would then shut the door on the Wolverines, pitching a scoreless ninth to preserve the victory.
 
The top of the order stayed hot for the Tomcats in the contest as Farley, King, and Steininger combined to hit 8-for-13 with six RBIs and three of the team's five stolen bases on the day. Trinch also had a solid day both in the field and at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base.
 
The Tomcats will be back in action on Wednesday, April 25 when they host the Presidents of W & J in a nine-inning contest. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.