NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Thiel College softball team improved to 4-0 on the season Tuesday with wins over Fitchburg State College (11-9) and Gwynedd Mercy University (8-0) during play in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex.
 
Thiel plated five runs in the top of the first inning against the Fitchburg State College Falcons. Freshman Dani Ficeti (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) had the key hit in the first, a 2-RBI double down the right field line. Lauren Durboraw (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) and Julianna Sloan (Kingsville, Ohio/Edgewood) also had run-scoring hits in the first.
 
Leading 6-4, the Tomcats added four more runs in the fifth inning. Melina Bufalini (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) gave the Tomcats two runs in the fifth on a single up the middle.
 
Riley Ladd (Mineral Ridge, Ohio/Mineral Ridge) extended Thiel's lead to 11-7 in the top of the seventh when she scored on a double to right center by Kylee Yothers (Indian Head, Pa./Connellsville Area).
 
The Falcons picked up two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Tomcats held on for their third win of the season.
 
Yothers went 3-for-3 in the first game with two doubles and two RBIs. Sloan went 3-for-4 and drove in a run. Ficeti recorded three RBIs on two hits. Ladd had three hits, two of which were doubles.
 
Kayla Roddy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) improved to 2-0 with the win. She allowed four earned runs on 12 hits and struck out six batters.
 
Freshman Abby Rottman (Hilliards, Pa./Moniteau) broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth against the Gwynedd Mercy University Griffins when she hit a 3-RBI inside-the-park homer.
 
The Tomcats went on to score five runs in the sixth inning to earn the win, 8-0. Ficeti hit a bases-clearing double in the sixth while Emmalee Sheeler (Rixford, Pa./Otto-Eldred) drove in a run on a single to center field.
 
Ficeti went 4-for-4 against the Griffins with three RBIs, two doubles and two runs scored. Rottman drove in three runs on a home run in the fourth inning. Casey Buechel (Allison Park, Pa./Deer Lakes) went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
 
Lauren Bonner (Hermitage, Pa./Reynolds) improved to 2-0 with the win against the Griffins. She allowed just two hits through six innings and refused to allow a run. Bonner struck out four and did not issue a walk.
 
The Tomcats (4-0) will continue play in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic Thursday. Thiel is scheduled to play Cedar Crest College at 9:30 a.m. and Anna Maria College at 11:30 a.m.