FORT MYERS, Fla. – A 6-run ninth inning, after taking a 5-4 lead in the eighth, secured the Thiel College baseball team's first victory of the season Tuesday over Hiram College, 11-4.
Thiel trailed the entire game until the eighth inning when
Zach Hudecek (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes) doubled to left center field to score
Anthony Sebastian (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) to make it 5-4.
In the ninth,
Jake Marino (Pittsfield, Pa./Youngsville) walked and then stole second to get into scoring position as
Nick Grice (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) collected his second double of the day to score Marino to make it 6-4. The Tomcats were not done in the inning as Hudecek was hit with the bases loaded to push
Andrew Giesey (Penn, Pa./Penn Trafford) to the plate and
Drew Dellert (Dover, Del./Poly-Tech) grounded up the middle to score Sebastian to extend the Thiel lead to 9-4. Miscues by the Terries added two more runs in the inning to make 11-4.
After allowing three runs in the first and one in the third, Tomcat starter
Matt Gayda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Allderdice) found his groove and went six strong allowing only two earned runs. Gayda struck out four batters and received no decision.
Daniel Patrice (Munich, Germany/EST) came in for the Tomcats in the seventh and went the distance to secure the win. Patrice fanned three Terriers en route to his first career win.
Dellert and
Alec Varley (Eighty Four, Pa./Ringgold) each collected three hits and one RBI apiece. Dellert also scored three runs. Fifteen hits and 11 runs are both single-game highs on the young season for the Tomcats.
With the win Thiel improved to 1-3 on the season and will play Elms College (0-6) Thursday to continue play in the Gene Cusic Classic. The first pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Terry Park Field #1.
