LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – The Thiel College softball team competed in a pair of extra-innings games Tuesday during play in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
Thiel opened the day with a 7-5 loss to the Scranton Royals in eight innings before defeating the Dean Bulldogs 8-7 in nine innings.
Scranton 7, Thiel 5 (8 innings)
Thiel led Scranton 3-0 after four innings. In the first inning,
Kayla Roddy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) drove in
Kylie Heid (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley) on a double down the left field line. Roddy went on to make it 2-0 on a throwing error by the Royals.
Abby Rottman (Hilliards, Pa./Moniteau) made it 3-0 in the fourth frame on a single up the middle, which scored
Mackenzie Herman (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds).
Scranton took the lead in the top of the fourth (4-3), but the Tomcats responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to cling to a 1-run lead (5-4). Heid drove in one run in the fifth on a double to left center field while the other run came on a Scranton error.
Scranton tied up the game in the sixth (5-5). After a scoreless seventh inning, the game was decided using the international tie-breaker. In the eighth inning, Scranton scored two runs on a pair of RBI-singles and didn't allow a hit to Thiel in the bottom of the eighth to claim the win.
Becca Landis (Kinsman, Ohio/Mathews) absorbed the loss for the Tomcats. In four innings of relief, she allowed four runs, three of which were earned, on four hits. She struck out seven batters and allowed three walks.
Soleil Dooner earned the win. She threw four innings in relief and refused to give up a run on one hit. Dooner struck out five and walked one.
Heid and Roddy both doubled and tallied one RBI. Herman also doubled.
Abby Rottman (Hilliards, Pa./Moniteau) had one RBI on a single.
Thiel 8, Dean 7 (9 innings)
The Tomcats led the Bulldogs 4-0 after three innings. Thiel scored two runs in the first inning. Herman drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly to left field.
Mila Brdar (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport) drove in the second run on a bunt single.
Thiel made it 3-0 in the second inning when Heid hit an RBI-triple to right field. Herman recorded her second sacrifice fly of the game in the third inning to give Thiel a 4-0 lead.
The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fourth to tie up the game (4-4) and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth.
Thiel went back on top in the bottom of the fifth (6-5) when
Marsha Foreman (Bonita Springs, Fla./Bonita Springs) hit a 2-RBI triple to left field. Dean got that run back in the sixth on a throwing error.
Neither team scored in the seventh, and the Bulldogs took a 1-run lead in the top of the eighth on an error. The Tomcats forced another tie in the bottom of the eighth. Brdar advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt and later scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs couldn't come up with a run in the top of the ninth, setting up the win for the Tomcats in the bottom of the inning.
Brianna Rottman (Hilliards, Pa./Moniteau) led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to left field, which advanced Heid to third base. Heid went on to score when Landis hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Brianna Rottman (Hilliards, Pa./Moniteau) went 3-for-5 and scored two runs. Heid and Landis both had two hits and one RBI. One of Heid's hits was a triple. Foreman tripled and drove in two runs while Herman had two RBIs.
Roddy earned the win. She didn't allow a hit in 4 2/3 innings of relief. She struck out four batters and issued one walk.
The Tomcats will continue play in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic Thursday. Thiel will face Brevard at 9 a.m. and Lycoming at 11 a.m.
