CLERMONT, Fla. – The Thiel College softball team opened play in The Spring Games at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla. on Sunday. The Tomcats lost to the Adrian Bulldogs 3-1 and the Neumann Knights 8-0.
 
Katie Connolly gave the Bulldogs the only runs they would need when she hit a 2-run homer in the first inning. Adrian also picked up an insurance run in the sixth.
 
Chase Gifford (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School) scored Thiel's run in the seventh inning on a solo homer over the left field fence. Leah Woytek (Hillsville, Pa./Mohawk) went 2-for-3 at the plate and stole a base.
 
Connolly led the Bulldogs with two hits and a pair of RBIs.
 
Lindsey Durboraw (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) allowed two runs in two innings for the Tomcats. She struck out three batters. Grace Taylor (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) allowed one run on three hits through four innings. Taylor struck out two batters without issuing a walk.
 
Natalie Mathers earned the win for Adrian. In six innings, she allowed three hits without giving up a run.
 
Neumann plated six runs in the first inning and went on to defeat Thiel, 8-0.
 
Woytek, Kara Baumgardner (Summerhill, Pa./Forest Hills) and Casey Buechel (Allison Park, Pa./Deer Lakes) each recorded a hit for Thiel. Vanessa Bowen and Kristina Del Gaiso both tallied two hits and two RBIs for Neumann.
 
Jennifer Sieminski earned the win for the Knights. She allowed three hits and a walk with five strikeouts in six innings of work.
 
The Tomcats will continue play in The Spring Games Monday. Thiel will face Illinois College at 3 p.m. and Bluffton at 5:15 p.m.