GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College softball team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play Tuesday with a doubleheader split against the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets at Tomcat Park. After falling 6-3 in the first game, the Tomcats regrouped to earn a 12-7 win in the second game.
 
The Tomcats took an early lead in the second game with a three-run second inning. Cara Baker (Corry, Pa./Corry) drove in the first run on a single to left field and went on to score on a throwing error. Madison Fullmer (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria) brought in the third run of the inning on a single to right field.
 
Waynesburg tied up the game 3-3 in the top of the third. However, Thiel senior Shyanne Sanders (Herminie, Pa./Yough) knocked in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth on a single up the middle.
 
The Yellow Jackets reclaimed the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but the Tomcats responded with six runs in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back en route to their first conference win of the season.
 
Miranda Reesman (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg) got the Tomcats going in the fifth with a 2-RBI single up the middle. Amanda Auxier (Parma Heights, Ohio/Valley Forge) followed with an RBI-double to left field. Fullmer also notched an RBI-single for the Tomcats, who took advantage of two Waynesburg errors in the inning.
 
The Yellow Jackets picked up a pair of runs in the sixth, but the Tomcats came back with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame when Auxier tallied a pair of RBIs on a single down the right field line.
 
Reesman led the Tomcats with three hits in the second game, one of which was a double, and recorded a pair of RBIs. Auxier recorded two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs. Fullmer hit two singles and registered a pair of RBIs.
 
Brianna Flynn (Clark, Pa./Sharpsville) earned the win in the second game to improve to 2-0 on the season. She allowed seven runs, only four of which were earned, on 12 hits through six innings of work. Isabella Bungo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) relieved Flynn in the seventh in a non-save situation. A freshman right-hander, Bungo allowed one hit and struck out one batter.
 
Game 1 was tied up 3-3 until the Yellow Jackets scored three unanswered runs in the seventh inning, two of which came on a two-run home run.
 
Waynesburg opened scoring in the first game with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Thiel tied up the game in the bottom of the third on RBI-singles by Fullmer and A.J. Corradi (Youngstown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch).
 
Reesman pushed the go-ahead run across the plate for the Tomcats in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to left field, but the Yellow Jackets got that run back in the top of the fifth.
 
Cara Baker (Corry, Pa./Corry) and Jessica Kelley (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) each recorded a pair of hits for the Tomcats in the first game.
 
The Tomcats (7-9, 1-1 PAC) are scheduled to host the Grove City Wolverines Friday at Tomcat Park. The first game of the PAC doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.