FORT MYERS, Fla. – The United States Coast Guard Academy defeated Thiel College 9-8 in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Florida Saturday morning.

USCGA led 2-0 after three innings before Thiel answered in the fourth inning with five runs.

In the fourth Drew Dellert (Dover, Del./Poly-Tech), Jake Marino (Pittsfield, Pa./Youngsville), Filippo Costanzo (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) each drove in one RBI apiece and Nick Grice (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) hit a single to left field which drove in two runs to give the Tomcats a 5-2 advantage.

Starter Tanner Teconchuk (North Warren, Pa./Warren) went five innings and allowed one earned run.

USCGA's Timbo Duncan closed the gap to 5-3 after a RBI double to right field in the fifth. The Bears followed up with RBI's by Jake Behne, Will Stephens, and Zach Serna in the sixth to take back the lead 6-5.

The Tomcats took back the lead in the eighth on a two-run RBI single to center field by Costanzo which drove in Marino and Dellert. Nick Fowkes (New Eagle, Pa./Ringgold) also had a RBI double to make it 8-7.

USCGA scored in the eighth to tie the game at 8-8, Thiel was unable to score in the ninth which led to a walk-off single by Stephens in the bottom of the inning to win the game for the USCGA 9-8.

The Tomcats (3-5) return to action Saturday March 18 at 1:00 p.m. as they take on Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pa.