FORT MYERS, Fla. – The bats came alive in the fifth and seventh innings as the Thiel College baseball team took down the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays 10-4 on the sixth day of competition at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Blue Jays got out to an early two run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Tomcats got ahead on a five run outburst in the top of the fifth. After
Brian Genco (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) walked and
Nick Grice (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) singled up the middle,
Drew Dellert (Dover, Del./Poly-Tech) scored Genco and Grice on a bunt that the Blue Jay third baseman fielded and threw a shot over the head of the first baseman into the outfield that allowed Dellert to reach third base.
Two batters later, Dellert scored a wild pitch by Preston Betz of Johns Hopkins. Later in the inning,
Sam Passafiume (Medina, Ohio/Medina) came through on a base-loaded, two out situation on a single up the middle that plated
Trent Smith (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) and
Matt Elko (Middlefield, Ohio/Berkshire).
After the Blue Jays got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Tomcats tacked on five more runs in the top of the seventh inning. After the first two batters reach base for the Tomcats, Smith singled to right field that brought
Bryan Mitchell (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) home.
Dan Koller (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) followed with a double to left center field that scored Smith and Elko. With the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Grice scorched a two RBI single to center field that scored Koller and
Trent Mosley (South Euclid, Ohio/Brush).
The lead was more than enough insurance to back
Kevin Forrester (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan), who earned his second win of the season. Forrester struck out seven Blue Jays and only allowed two earned runs. Forrester had no-hitter until there were two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Smith and Grice each recorded three hits in five at-bats for the Tomcats while Grice, Passafiume and Koller each knocked in two runs respectively.
The Tomcats (5-2) will wrap up their Florida schedule on Saturday taking on the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors. First pitch will be at 9 a.m. from the Player Development Complex.
