LATROBE, Pa. – The Thiel College baseball team split a doubleheader on the road with the Saint Vincent Bearcats on Sunday. The Bearcats took game one, a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game, 9-8. The Tomcats won the non-conference game two, 13-7.
In game one, the Tomcats struck early with a three-run home run by
Andrew Giesey (Penn, Pa./Penn Trafford) in the first inning, his second home run of the season. They added onto the early lead and led 7-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bearcats exploded for five runs in the fifth inning and four runs in the sixth inning to take a 9-7 lead. The Tomcats narrowed the lead to one run in the seventh, but the Bearcats held on to win 9-8.
In game two, the Tomcats again had a big early inning, scoring seven runs in a second inning rally. Thiel added a run in the fourth inning, two runs in the sixth, and three runs in the seventh. The Bearcats were threatening to score with the bases loaded and one out in a 13-7 game in the bottom of the seventh inning, when
Michael Aches (Pittsburgh, Pa./Canevin) got a ground ball to end the game on a 6-4-3 double play from
Anthony Rago (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) to
Mike Sittig (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley) to Wentling.
Giesey led the Tomcats with three RBIs in game one and scored two runs.
Jamin Wentling (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) led the Tomcats in hits with three, including a double, that gave him two RBIs and a run.
Nash Matson (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) and Rago also had two hits and an RBI each. Matson and Rago finished with two runs and one run, respectively.
Sante Carducci (Toronto, Ohio/Toronto) was charged with a loss in relief.
Derek Knapp (Warren, Pa./Warren) pitched 2.1 innings and allowed no hits and no runs with one strikeout.
In game two, Matson finished 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, two RBIs, three runs, and a stolen base. Wentling hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning for his second home run on the season.
Seth Johnson (Magnolia, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) notched three RBIs and two runs in a 2-for-4 game.
Trey Williams (Jeromesville, Ohio/Hillsdale) also recorded three RBIs.
Alex Lutz (Loveland, Ohio/Milford) earned the win in four innings pitched.
The Bearcats were led by Matt Evans in game one with two runs and three RBIs. He also earned the save in 2.2 shutout innings. Tyler Chrise earned the win in relief, allowing two runs (one earned in 2.2 innings). In game two, Julian Santana had four walks and a run. Ben Menarchek was 2-for-2 with two runs and two walks. Starting pitcher Aaron Stephan was charged with the loss.
The Tomcats' next series will be against the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets, with Waynesburg hosting a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Thiel hosting a doubleheader Sunday at 2 p.m.
