FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Thiel College baseball team opened the first game of a double-header with Haverford College with a 13-3 victory Monday morning during the second day of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.
 
The Tomcats opened up scoring with a three-run first inning. Daniel Patrice (Munich, Germany/EST) hit a two-run double to left field, which scored Bryan Mitchell (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) and Nick Grice (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport). Nick Fowkes (New Eagle, Pa./Ringgold) followed with a single through the right side later in the inning to score another run.
 
Patrice drove in another run in the second to extend the lead to 4-0, and Jonathan Oden (Frederick, Md./Oakdale) would also score on a wild pitch in the inning making it 5-0 after two frames.
 
Filippo Costanzo (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) drove in Drew Dellert (Dover, Del./Poly-Tech) to make the score 6-1 after three. In the fourth, Zach Hudecek (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes) hit his first blast of the season, a two-run shot that increased Thiel's lead to 8-1.
 
Nick Bucci (Pittsburgh, Pa./Allderdice) picked up the win with five strong innings. He struck out six and allowed just three hits and one run.
 
Patrice and Jake Marino (Pittsfield, Pa./Youngsville) would add two more RBIs apiece in the fifth. Patrice finished the game with five RBIs.
 
The Tomcats lost the second game of the doubleheader to the Haverford Fords, 7-2.
 
Jared Deveau recorded the win for the Fords. He pitched five and two-thirds innings, struck out four and allowed just one hit and one run.
 
Patrice and Matt Hultquist (North Warren, Pa./Warren) each drove in a run for the Tomcats in the second contest.
 
Thiel (2-1) will return to action in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic Tuesday at 9 a.m. against Dominican University at Terry Park in Fort Myers, Fla.