KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Thiel College softball team split a pair of games Tuesday during play in the Sunkissed Games in Kissimmee, Fla. The Tomcats needed an eighth inning to defeat Bluffton 18-11 before suffering a 5-3 loss to Illinois College.
 
Thiel led the Bluffton Beavers 10-0 midway through the fifth inning. Bluffton scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to avoid the 8-run rule. After a scoreless sixth inning the Tomcats added a run in the top of the seventh to hold an 11-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Beavers scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to force an extra inning. Thiel returned the favor in the eighth with a 7-run assault en route to the 18-11 win.
 
The Tomcats scattered 20 hits against the Beavers, led by A.J. Corradi (Youngstown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch) who went 4-for-6 with three RBIs and a double. Leah Woytek (Hillsville, Pa./Mohawk), who belted a leadoff round-tripper in the first inning, tallied three hits along with Vanessa Falce (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) and Alexa Fike (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional).
 
Jessica Kelley (Freeport, Pa./Freeport) led Thiel against Bluffton with four RBIs while catcher Miranda Reesman (Vandergrift, Pa./Leechburg) knocked a pair of doubles.
 
Isabella Bungo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) earned the win in one inning of work. She allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits. Freshman Kara Miller (Greenville, Pa./Greenville), who pitched the eighth inning, refused to give up a run and allowed just one hit.
 
Brittany Huff led Bluffton at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance that included three RBIs, which came on a 3-run homer in the fifth inning.
 
In the second game of the day the Illinois College Lady Blues took a 3-0 lead in the third inning when Lea Hall hit a 3-run home run over the right field fence. Thiel loaded the bases in the fourth frame but came away with just one run.
 
The Lady Blues increased their lead to 5-1 in the top of the sixth when Sam Seggerman hit a 2-run homer to right field. Thiel picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, one of which was on an infield single by Fike, but the Lady Blues held on for the win down the stretch.
 
Reesman and Fike led Thiel in the second game with two hits apiece. Shannon Baker (Corry, Pa./Corry) took the loss. She allowed four earned runs on nine hits and struck out six batters.
 
The Tomcats will return to action in the Sunkissed Games Thursday. Thiel is scheduled to play Heidelberg at 1:30 p.m. and Aurora at 3:45 p.m.