FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Thiel College baseball team was defeated 11-8 by Bluffton University on Wednesday in the 2019 Gene Cusic Classic.
The Tomcats and Beavers traded scores in the first as Bluffton took a 3-2 lead after one.
Bluffton extended their lead to 4-2 in the third before each team scored three runs apiece to in the fourth to make it 7-5 in favor of the Beavers.
Thiel answered again in the fifth with two runs scored as
Griffin Curry (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) and
Nick Fowkes (New Eagle, Pa./Ringgold) both collected an RBI apiece to knot it up at 7-7 headed to the bottom of the fifth.
Tomcat starter
Matt Gayda (Pittsburgh, Pa./Allderdice) went 4.2 innings allowing nine hits and eight runs as he was pulled in the fifth and was replaced by
Myles Metz (Chardon, Ohio/Chardon), who got out the fifth unscathed with the bases loaded. Bluftton led 8-7 after five. A fielding error in the sixth put Thiel even with Bluffton at 8-8 after six.
A three-run seventh for the Beavers was the difference in the game as the Tomcats fell 11-8.
Fowkes collected a team-high three hits, while
Joe Mott (Kinsman, Ohio/Badger) drove in a team-high three RBI's.
With the loss, Thiel falls to 2-3 on the season.
The Tomcats will be back in action on Friday as they will face Augustana College (IL) at Terry Park Field #4, first pitch is scheduled for Noon.
