LEESBURG, Fla. – The Thiel College softball team split a pair of games Friday during play in The Spring Games. Thiel defeated the Sage Gators (5-4) but lost to the Roanoke Maroons (8-1).
 
The Tomcats took control in the second inning against the Gators. Vanessa Falce (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) started a 4-run inning with a leadoff solo home run over the left field fence. Leah Woytek (Hillsville, Pa./Mohawk) drove in a pair of runs on a double to left center field while Breanna Mesich (Jeannette, Pa./Hempfield) drove in the fourth run on a single to left field.
 
In the third inning, Lindsey Durboraw (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) drove in what turned out to be an important run for the Tomcats with the help of a Sage error.
 
The Gators were shut out for six innings, but that changed in the seventh frame when they scored four runs with two outs. Durboraw got out of the jam and preserved the win with a groundout to second base.
 
Durboraw, who threw all seven innings, allowed four runs on 10 hits.
 
Woytek went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two stolen bases and a run scored. Bailey Hoover (Smock, Pa./Uniontown) recorded two hits while Falce hit a solo homer in the second inning.
 
Katelyn Rice led Sage at the plate with three hits, one of which was a double.
 
Thiel scored first against Roanoke in the first inning when Falce drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Woytek to score. Unfortunately, it was the only run the Tomcats produced, and the Maroons plated six runs in the third inning and two more runs in the fifth frame.
 
Hoover recorded two hits for the Tomcats against the Maroons.
 
The Tomcats will conclude play in The Spring Games on Saturday. Thiel will play the Marian Sabres at 2 p.m. and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Engineers at 4 p.m.